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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29387991">Tempus Interficere</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgeweasleys/pseuds/georgeweasleys'>georgeweasleys</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bottom Theodore Nott, Death Eaters, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Gryffindor/Slytherin Inter-House Relationships, Hufflepuff, Major Original Character(s), POV Original Character, Protective Marcus Flint, Redeemed Draco Malfoy, Slytherins Being Slytherins</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 08:01:18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>115,637</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29387991</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/georgeweasleys/pseuds/georgeweasleys</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cordelia Flint is nothing without her family, but she might be willing to risk it all for the Boy Who Lived— as long as it doesn’t make her life fall apart. (But a certain spell has other plans.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter &amp; Original Female Character(s), Hermione Granger/Fred Weasley, Pansy Parkinson/Ron Weasley, Theodore Nott &amp; Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. the cons of firewhiskey</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/salemology/gifts">salemology</a>.</li>



    </ul><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The aftermath of a nasty breakup gives her a pounding headache.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>𝕿he sound of rain pattering on the windows and the soft humming of the train engine was the only thing keeping Cordelia Flint awake in the late morning hours of September 1st, 1995. Her eyes felt heavy, and the pounding headache in her temples just wouldn't go away, and the smell of the pumpkin pasties coming from the compartment across the hall (she had a strong nose) just made her want to vomit.</p><p>The previous night had been nothing but an absolute disaster; Cordelia and her older brother, Marcus, had been fortunate enough for their parents to have gone out, and, being the mischievous-seventeen-year-old he was, Marcus had managed to pick the lock on Carleton and Emilia Flint's liquor cabinet, steal three bottles of firewhiskey, and down two while Cordelia drank the other. It wasn't like them, truly, to drink so much alcohol in a short period of time, but they were desperate-- and what do desperate people do? Well, they drink, of course.</p><p>You see, Cordelia wasn't really one to down all that liquid courage without a reason. In fact, she had a really, really good one: one that involved heartbreak, and she was feeling pretty fucking destroyed on the inside. There had been a dull ache in her chest for the last fortnight, and she just wanted a way for it to feel better... and Marcus just happened to offer a perfect way out.</p><p>But she was really regretting it now.</p><p>The compartment door slid open, and when Cordelia opened her eyes, she was immediately hit with the strong smell of chocolate. It did not make her stomach feel any better, even though it might have on a regular day. She inwardly groaned at the sound of the voice that followed: "I brought you something to eat."</p><p>Winifred Bulstrode's voice made Cordelia's head pound even harder. The girl had a tendency to be a little too overbearing, and her nagging always made her feel worse. It wasn't the first time Winnie had tended to Cordelia's wounds, and it definitely wouldn't be the last. She was used to it by now, but that didn't mean that it would make her annoyance fade.</p><p>"I'm not hungry." She told her, ignoring the look that was on the blonde's face.</p><p>"Cordelia." Winnie's voice was sharp, and the force of it felt like twinge in the back of her neck.</p><p>Cordelia raised her eyes so that her blue ones met Winnie's hazel. She narrowed them, as if daring her cousin to challenge her, to which the other girl responded with the simple roll of her eyes. "I said, I'm not hungry."</p><p>Winnie raised an eyebrow. "You're not serious."</p><p>"I am." Cordelia kept her voice steady, trying now to allow her voice to shake with the pounding pain in her head.</p><p>"But you're always hungry," Winnie observed, stating the blatantly obvious fact that yes, Cordelia liked to eat. She took a seat across from her and crossed her legs. "You practically eat my entire pantry when you come over."</p><p>The brunette groaned and dragged her hands over her face. "Why don't you ever take no for an answer?"</p><p>"You need to eat. Take a bite of the chocolate before I shove it down your throat," Winnie replied sternly, just shy of being motherly (not that Cordelia would know what that sounded like) and it made her just want to scream. She wasn't in the mood for the girl's antics, even though she was just trying to help. But, at the same time, her stomach growled at the sound of the delightful treat.</p><p>"At least take a sip of water," said Winnie, pushing the bottle of water towards her cousin, who took it with a frown. "You'll feel better, I promise."</p><p>Cordelia rubbed her temples. "And how would you know that?"</p><p>"I just have common sense, unlike someone I know..."</p><p>"Winnie."</p><p>Winnie giggled, lifting her hand to cover her mouth. "No, but seriously, you're forgetting that I live with my dad. Now drink."</p><p>"I'm not thirsty." Cordelia snapped, staring down at the water bottle as if it were the person she hated the most.</p><p>"Drink!"</p><p>Cordelia lifted the bottle to her lips reluctantly and took a sip, and before she knew it she found herself downing the whole bottle in less than a minute. It soothed her dry throat and did not quite make her headache go away, but she did feel a tad bit better. She had to admit the fact that Winnie actually knew what she was talking about, but she wasn't about to give the eldest Bulstrode girl the satisfaction.</p><p>Even so, as she somehow always did, Winnie could just tell that Cordelia's demeanor changed, because she said with a knowing smile, "You feel better, don't you?"</p><p>"No." This was a bloody fucking lie.</p><p>"Just admit it, I was right, and you were wrong."</p><p>"Oh, shut it."</p><p>Winnie opened her mouth to retort but was unable to as the compartment door slid open again— Cordelia saw her eyes widen as she laid eyes on who had walked in, immediately biting her tongue as a frown replaced the smile that had been on her face.</p><p>"Look who it is, my future wife!" said her Theodore Nott, as he took the seat beside Winnie, draping his arm over her shoulders. She squirmed out of the entanglement and stood up straight just as someone else walked into the compartment, lips pulled back into a thin line while Cordelia fought back a laugh.</p><p>Claire Tamashiro, dressed like the others in her robes and green tie ( the only thing out of place was the large phoenix hairpin in her hair ), glanced over in Cordelia's direction, raised a questioning eyebrow, and then turned in the way of Theo and Winnie, where instantly her face contorted into an expression of annoyance as she saw Winnie snap her hand up as Theo tried to grab onto it. "Oh, god, not this again. Theo, leave the poor girl alone!"</p><p>"No can do, Clairo, that poor girl owns my heart and soul." Theo placed his hand over where his heart should be. Cordelia watched in amusement as Winnie scowled, staring down at the boy who was fighting for her cousin's affection and let a small smile grace her features. She never failed to enjoy the tension and seeing Winnie squirm.</p><p>"And that," Winnie stated blatantly, wagging her pointer finger in the air, "is my cue to leave," She let out a breath of air, and she was at the door when she grabbed onto the handle and pointed her finger at her cousin. "Eat the chocolate. Clarie, make sure Cordelia eats. She was drinking last night, and-"</p><p>"Cordelia..." Claire glanced over her shoulder to where Cordelia was curled up in the seat, giving her a disappointed glare as Winnie sighed audibly.</p><p>"Yes, I know. I'm leaving now, take care of Cordelia and let me know if she protests." She shot a look at Cordelia, who pretended not to take notice as she stared in the opposite direction, trying to focus her attention as much as she can on the birds that soared through the blue sky.</p><p>As she turned to leave, Theo called after her, "One day you'll fall in love with me!"</p><p>Winnie gave him a look and rolled her hazel eyes. "One day you'll get your head out of your arse." She shook her head at him, obviously annoyed, and then slid out of the compartment and turned the corner, out of sight. Claire immediately broke into a fit of uncomfortable laughter that she had clearly been holding in.</p><p>"Theo, what the bloody hell is wrong with you!" she exclaimed quite loudly, making the pounding in Cordelia's head worse. She hit Theo on the arm, who winced and went to hit her back before she raised her arms up to guard herself.</p><p>Theo jut out his lip, glaring at his friend. "She doesn't love me as I love her. What a shame."</p><p>"She's not going to love you if you keep pestering," groused Cordelia, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. "Can you both please be quiet? My head feels like it's about to explode."</p><p>"Maybe you would feel better if you ate the chocolate, Cordelia," Claire spoke, watching her friend with caution. "Just take a bite."</p><p>Cordelia raised her head to look Claire in the eyes and said, with a menacing glare, "Don't test me."</p><p>Claire gave Theo a questioning look, but he merely shrugged. They shared the look for a moment before she returned her attention to the girl, saying, "Cordelia."</p><p>"What now, Claire?"</p><p>"You were drinking," replied Claire, taking the seat previously occupied by Winnie, "And you only do that if you're stressed."</p><p>"Nothing's wrong." Cordelia's reply was blunt, but her friends knew better-- even Theo, who could sometimes be as dumb as a beetle: he truly was intelligent, he just sometimes decided to not use his brain, and Cordelia was sometimes grateful for it. She would rather have him say nothing than say something stupid.</p><p>"Where's Zacharias?"</p><p>A harsh laugh burst out of Cordelia's lips. Claire sat up a little straighter as she fumed, "He's probably with Greengrass. The stuck up bitch."</p><p>"What did you say?" Theo's voice practically dropped an octave, and Cordelia had to be wary of the fact that if she told the truth, Theodore Nott would not hesitate to beat Zacharias Smith's arse-- so, she stayed silent, simply turning her head and staring out the window. She palmed her forehead, getting more and more impatient waiting for her headache to disappear. It didn't help that Theo was getting angrier by the second. "What did he do? Do I need to-"</p><p>Cordelia held up her hand. "No. I'm stopping you right there."</p><p>"What did he do, Cordelia?" Theo demanded, and Cordelia knew then and there that he was being serious-- he almost never called her by her full name.</p><p>She took in a shuddery breath, pretending that her eyes had not just watered up and tears were threatening to spill down her face. "I may or may not have caught him with another girl."</p><p>Theo went to stand as Claire slapped her hand over her mouth, but when the boy got to his feet, he was immediately pulled back down with Claire's other hand. "Don't you dare."</p><p>"I want to go confront him."</p><p>"Theo," expressed Claire, "I have this odd feeling that she doesn't want you to..."</p><p>"Does it look like I give a crap?" He said harshly, trying to yank himself out of Claire's grip.</p><p>"Theo, don't." Cordelia prayed. "Please."</p><p>Theo leaned back in the chair and gave the girls a look. Then he let out a yelp as Claire's hand hit the back of his head. "Listen to Cordelia and I won't hurt you again, got it?"</p><p>"Fine, fine," Theo complained. "But how about this, Cor, you eat the chocolate, and I won't go talk to Zach. How's that?"</p><p>"No! I'm not eating the fucking chocolate, how many times do I need to tell you-"</p><p>"Okay, then, I'm going to have a word with Smith." Theo stood up again, but Cordelia shot up out of her seat and pinned him down-- he smirked as she stood over him, breathing heavily. "That's what I thought."</p><p>"Where's the chocolate?" asked Cordelia, and Theo took the chocolate from beside him and handed it to her. She sat back down and unwrapped the wrapper. "I don't want to eat it."</p><p>Claire readjusted her phoenix pin. "You take a bit and I'll eat the rest, okay?"</p><p>The brunette nodded and took a small bite out of the head of the chocolate frog. Immediately, she felt all the tension from her body release and her headache seemed to almost completely vanish.</p><p>Fuck. Winnie was right, wasn't she? That wasn't a surprise, though, she was always bloody correct-- but Cordelia didn't expect anything less from the only lion in the family. They were wankers, but that didn't mean they were any less brilliant. She took another small bite of the chocolate frog and handed the rest over to Claire just as the train came to a halt. It seemed that the rain had let up in the last few minutes, and the clouds still remained high in the gray sky, but at least she was finally feeling better.</p><p>'Better' was the keyword. She hardly ever felt good, but that was beside point.</p><p>Theo was finally able to stand without being pushed back into his seat. He wrapped his robe tightly around himself as the cold weather finally started to reach the students on the express, and Cordelia pulled herself up and out of her seat as well. She followed him out of the compartment as Claire followed close behind.</p><p>"Who did you see Zach with?" she questioned, her eyes trained on the windows of the other compartments.</p><p>"None other than Daphne fucking Greengrass," replied Cordelia, turning her head to look at Claire. When she turned back around to take the step off the train, her body collied with another, nearly knocking them off the steps. "Bloody hell!" Her heart picked up pace as she processed the fact that she had nearly injured someone. They disembarked the train and, when they turned around, Cordelia nearly had a bloody fucking heart attack.</p><p>Harry Potter. Of all people, she had to run in to Harry Potter?</p><p>The boy himself held out a hand to help her off, and she stepped down lightly. She let go of his hand, which was oddly sweaty (maybe he was nervous?), and said apologetically, "Sorry, my fault."</p><p>"Erm, it's okay," said Harry, and he shoved his hands into the pockets of his robes as his friends came up beside him. The girl she recognized as Hermione Granger gave Cordelia a polite smile, but Ron Weasley and his Slytherin-despising self gave her a disgusted look, which made Granger slap him in the arm, saying Ronald, be nice. Harry gave her an awkward wave as the trio got onto the last remaining spots on the carriage.</p><p>"Well," said Claire, "That was awkward."</p><p>Cordelia snorted, eyes following the backs of the trio before she focused her attention back on her friends. "No kidding. Let's get out of here before Zach catches up to us, yeah?"</p><p>"I don't think you'll need to worry about that," replied Claire, and she inclined her head in the direction of the other train exits where other carriages were picking up students. Cordelia saw Winnie getting on the carriage, followed by Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan, but just before the carriage drove off, the figure of her recent ex-boyfriend hopped in the remaining seat. She felt bile creep up the back of her throat as she watched the carriage retreat towards the castle— she had a distinct feeling that Winifred Bulstrode was about to lose her shit after seeing the rest of the faces on the carriage, Millicent Bulstrode (yes, her sister) was one of them.</p><p>"How much do you want to bet that Winnie will have yelled at someone by the time we get up there?" Cordelia asked Claire as they got into the next carriage.</p><p>"I don't see how you can tell that she's going to yell at someone," Claire replied.</p><p>"Oh, just watch," Cordelia answered, a smile creeping onto her lips. "You're in for a treat."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. the welcoming feast</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dolores Umbridge makes her first appearance.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>𝕮ordelia liked to think she was a little metamorphic. </p><p>You see, even when she was a young child, she had been ingrained to act a certain way around certain people-- those people included her elders, her parents, and, most importantly, people of high blood status or those who came from prominent families. She knew how to change her behavior from acting wild and crazy to being polite and superficial, and she knew how to do it well. Most couldn't tell that she had two sides to her, and that even made her more efficient at changing nearly her entire persona. If her grandparents or, hell, even if her parents figured out that there was practically a whole different person living under her skin, she would be as dead as her brother...</p><p>So, when Draco Malfoy and his "girlfriend" Pansy Parkinson took the remaining seats on the carriage beside she, Theo, and Claire, she had to flick a switch in her brain so she could speak to blonde without offending him-- because, if you offended the Slytherin Prince, he would tell his dear old father, and you would probably be cursed into oblivion. </p><p>Draco lifted his eyes to meet her gaze just as the thestrals kicked off the start of the ride. It was a short one, and one she had done loads of times, but seeing the thestrals moving the carriage still gave her a sense of uneasiness-- it had been years since she first laid eyes on one, but they still freaked her the hell out. If one wasn't aware, Cordelia wasn't the fondest of animals. Draco cleared his throat. "Flint."</p><p>Cordelia jutted her chin at him. "Draco."</p><p>Pansy smiled and held onto Draco's arm, and he put his hand over hers. Either they were together or Cordelia was just seeing things, but she doubted it was the latter. They had been on and off since their third year, so it seemed fitting for them to be together now. "How was your summer, Cordelia?"</p><p>Pansy's high pitched voice made her sick to her stomach. For a moment she thought that her headache had come back, but soon after realized that it was just the aftershock of hearing the pug-faced girl speak. "It was fine."</p><p>"That's good to hear," replied Pansy, giving her a small smile. Out of the corner of her eye, Cordelia swore that she could see Theo choke back a laugh as the carriage wobbled when they passed over the stony trail. The castle loomed into view, and she suddenly felt an odd sense of calm wash over her, and she let out a breath that she hadn't even realized she was holding in.</p><p>After a few more moments of awkward silence, the thestrals came to a stop, and Draco stepped off first. He held out a hand to help Pansy off the carriage and she took it, stepping down gently and then gripping his hand in hers as they walked together towards the castle's entrance. Just as Cordelia stepped onto Hogwarts soil, the commotion of someone yelling caught her attention. She looked up, and when she saw who it was, she let out a small sigh. "Claire, I told you."</p><p>Claire snorted from beside her. "I see she's not yelling at Zach, though, that's a relief."</p><p>Theo came to stand next to her, saying, "We should go over there and make sure Winnie doesn't kill Millicent, shouldn't we?"</p><p>"Yep," said Cordelia. She and Theo took several steps in the direction of the two girls just as Millicent Bulstrode's hand collided with the side of Winnie's face. Cordelia's eyes widened, and whisper-yelled to Theo, "She's gonna go for her, try and hold her back!"</p><p>Theo nodded and went over to Winnie when her back was turned, and Cordelia pulled out her wand just as Winnie reached for hers, screaming, "You fucking bitch!" Cordelia moved forward, holding out her wand as Winnie's fell into her other while Theo pulled the angry girl back so she couldn't cause any more damage. "Cordelia, give me my wand! Give me my wand!" She fought against Theo's holdings, and Cordelia stepped in front of her, facing her cousin Millicent. </p><p>"I think it's time to turn around and leave, Millie," she said calmly, the words pouring out of her mouth as smooth as silk. Millie gave her a deadly glare. "Believe me, you do not want Theo to let go of her." Millie scowled before turning on her heel and departing with her gang of girls who followed her every move. The crowd of students watching the fight between the sisters goggled at Cordelia, who shouted, "Alright, shows over! Everyone go carry on with your own bloody business!"</p><p>She turned back around to Theo and Winnie, who was still struggling against his strong arms. She muttered a weak, "Will you let me go, please?"</p><p>Theo grinned and gave her a wink as Cordelia shook her head, letting out a breathy laugh. "Can't, sweetheart, I'm not sure how I feel about you killing someone tonight, though you do look pretty hot when you're mad." He gave Winnie a wink, and a grin blossomed onto Cordelia's face. </p><p>"Oh, let her go, Theo, you big flirt," she commented. Theo reluctantly let go of her and she walked towards her cousin and linked her arm with hers. "Haven't been here one day and you just had to get punched, huh?"</p><p>"I see you're feeling better," replied Winnie, holding out her hand so Cordelia could give her her wand back. She complied. "Maybe I shouldn't have helped you, maybe you would've let me send her at least one hex then. My bloody fucking sister..."</p><p>The two walked arm in arm and walked into the castle together, Claire and Theo trailing close behind, and immediately Cordelia felt Winnie calm immediately as the lights engulfed them. "Good to be back, isn't it?"</p><p>"Yeah," answered Winnie, removing her arm from her cousin's. She looked in front of her to where Dean and Seamus were standing awkwardly as they waited for her, having witnessed the altercation, then gave Cordelia a small smile. "I should go, then. Thanks."</p><p>"I'm always here for you, Winnie."</p><p>"You better be."</p><p>And she strutted down the hallway towards her friends and vanished into the crowd of Eagles as they took their seats at the table. Cordelia followed suit with her fellow Snakes, and just like that, she felt what seemed like the weight of the world lift off her shoulders as she entered the Great Hall.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"𝕿o our newcomers, welcome!" Professor Albus Dumbledore's voice rang out throughout the hall, reaching Cordelia's ears as she glanced up at the old man. His arms were stretched out wide and the hint of a beaming smile was just barely visible under his beard. "To our old hands, welcome back! There is a time for speech-making, but this is not it. Tuck in!"</p><p>There was an appreciative round of applause as the food appeared on the table. Cordelia watched Theo immediately reach for the roasted chicken thigh that had materialized out of thin air as she spooned mashed potatoes onto her plate, and Claire, from her place beside her, said with a light laugh, "Theo, slow down! You're gonna get sick."</p><p>Theo had quite the reputation as an eater, although, that was nothing compared to Marcus Flint--  oftentimes at family dinners (which both Flint siblings would attend just for the food; the talk around the dinner table was quite awkward, but luckily the meals cooked by their house-elf made up for it), he would have to be forcibly taken away from the buffet table due to him nearly eating a whole chicken. Cordelia glanced over at her brother, who was just sitting a few seats down from her, and sure enough, the seventeen-year-old was eating as if his life depended on it. And when she looked to Theo, his chicken thigh had already been reduced to a puny little bone. </p><p>Her eyes drifted to the table in which all the Professors were sitting eating their own meals, and they landed on the short, stout figure of a woman clad in horrendous pink clothing-- and even her demeanor up at the table made her head spin.</p><p>"Who's that woman up there?" asked Cordelia, inclining her head towards the Professor's table as she salted her potatoes.</p><p>"That, my dear Cordelia," disclosed Theo, leaning in close to grab another piece of chicken, "Is Dolores Umbridge. She's a horrid old bat if you ask me."</p><p>"How so?" </p><p>"For starters, she's friends with my father," said Theo with a shudder. He took a big bite, chewed it, and then said calmly, "And she works at the Minsitry. She's some sort of assistant for Fudge, I think. I don't really care if I'm being honest."</p><p>Cordelia gave the woman another glance over and decided that she did not like her. The woman hadn't even said a word, let alone make a sound, but the youngest Flint had come to the conclusion that the woman was already going to be a bad, bad thing for this school. She tried not to think about what might happen in the next months. </p><p>Dumbledore got to his feet after everyone had gotten settled with their food, but the words coming out of his mouth didn't seem to process in her mind-- she was too focused on the woman who went by Dolores Umbridge as she stared down the hall as if trying to locate something, or someone, and Cordelia noticed a small smile grace the woman's face as her eyes landed on the one and only Harry Potter. He seemed oblivious to it, listening wide-eyed to Professor Dumbledore's opening speeches, but his friend Hermione Granger seemed to take note of it, too, and she gave the pink woman a disgusted look. The red-headed boy, Cordelia noticed, was still devouring his food, not paying attention to anything his friends were-- and then he dropped his fork onto his plate in surprise as a faint clearing of the throat sounded from the Professor's table. </p><p>Cordelia and Theo shared a look as Claire muttered what the hell under her breath. Dumbledore averted his gaze to Umbridge, who had clearly been the one to make the sound, but then turned back towards his students to continue his speech; only a few words came out before she interrupted once more with the same ruse: "Hem, hem!"</p><p>Dumbledore looked taken aback for only a moment, and then sat back down, indicating that he was going to allow the woman to make her speech. He didn't seem too bothered, but Cordelia couldn't help but notice that the other professors failed to conceal their surprise-- Professor Sprout's eyebrows had disappeared into her flyaway hair and Professor McGonagall's mouth was so thin it could barely be seen. It was then when Cordelia came to the conclusion that Dolores Umbridge did not know how things were run at Hogwarts. </p><p>And it seemed as if everyone in the Great Hall knew, too. Even Harry Potter, who was often oblivious about the smallest things. And that's when Cordelia Flint realized that maybe she wasn't so different than those pesky Gryffindor's after all-- or maybe it was the fact that she knew, deep down, that Dolores Umbridge's presence at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry could quite possibly be the thing that pushes her over the edge.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>this chapter is so short i'm so sorry :o</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. the pink devil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Defense Against the Dark Arts class doesn't go as planned.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"𝕲oodmorning!"</p>
<p>Cordelia let out a sigh, forcing herself to look away from the blonde git who had broken her heart just weeks prior. She said in a tired voice, "What's got you so happy, Nott?"</p>
<p>Theodore gave her a doting grin before sitting down at his usual spot across from her. "I'm just glad to be back." He piled bacon and eggs onto his plate.</p>
<p>The brunette rolled her eyes as she took a bite of her muffin, chewing carefully. "Glad to be back or glad to see Winnie?"</p>
<p>"Can't a man be glad for both?"</p>
<p>"No." She said simply, trying to keep both her face and voice level and calm as her thoughts continued to circle back to Zacharias Smith.</p>
<p>Now it was Theo's turn to roll his eyes. He shoved a piece of bacon into his mouth as he turned around to face the Gryffindor table, where Winnie was speaking animatedly with Parvati (or was it Padma? Cordelia couldn't tell the difference) Patil, eating her piece of toast so quickly that Cordelia was surprised she didn't choke to death. Theo turned back around with a smile on his face and said brightly, "She's so beautiful."</p>
<p>The voice of Claire Tamashiro came from behind her as she slid in beside Cordelia. "You're a lovesick puppy, aren't you?"</p>
<p>Cordelia snorted. "He is. Ever since the third year, too, when she punched Draco in the face."</p>
<p>"You can't blame me, Cor, it was amazing," Theo told her, a smile blooming across his face as he recounted the memory.</p>
<p>"Even though she was defending Granger?" asked Cordelia, now spooning a small amount of yogurt into a bowl. She stirred it defensively as she glanced back over to the Hufflepuff table where Zacharias was sitting, speaking in a hushed tone with his mates. His eyes met hers and she immediately looked away. Taking a chance, she looked back again and was surprised to see that he was still watching her. They kept eye contact for what seemed like ages, as if they were both trying to communicate telepathically, before Theo waved his hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her trance.</p>
<p>"Earth to Cor!" He said.</p>
<p>"I'm trying to eat in peace, Theo. Let me be-"</p>
<p>Theo scoffed and shoved another piece of bacon into his mouth, and said with his mouth full, "You were staring at Zach again."</p>
<p>"You know," interjected Claire, swallowing a bite of her sausage. She gestured with her fork at the Hufflepuff. "We shouldn't call him Zach anymore. He doesn't deserve to be on a first-name basis with us."</p>
<p>Cordelia opened her mouth to reply but Theo cut her off, saying: "You're right, you're right. Smith it is. You know, it's odd seeing someone we used to spend all our time for the last two years as a stranger-"</p>
<p>"Imagine how I feel, Theo," interrupted Cordelia, sprinkling granola into her yogurt as she spoke. "I caught him with another girl. Imagine seeing someone you literally gave yourself to turn into a complete stranger."</p>
<p>Theo lowered his eyes to the table and Claire awkwardly cleared her throat, prompting Cordelia to shoot them both a glare. "Look, guys, all I'm saying is that you wouldn't know how it feels like, okay?"</p>
<p>Claire adjusted the phoenix clip that adorned her hair and chewed her lip. "I doubt Theo meant anything bad by that, Cordelia."</p>
<p>"I know. I just thought I had to get it out there, though." She looked back in the direction of Zacharias, and to her surprise, Winnie Bulstrode was leaning in close, saying something to him that wasn't loud enough for Cordelia to hear, but just at the right volume for him and his friends to take note of. He had a confused look on his face as she shoved herself in between him and the girl he was next to. "What the hell is Winnie doing over there?"</p>
<p>Theo's eyes twinkled as she turned to face the girl, watching as she accidentally knocked over Zacharias's coffee. He said matter-of-factly, "She's up to something."</p>
<p>Winnie poured him a new mug, ignoring Zach's protesting, and set it down in front of him. She stood up and left the table, and when she sat back down beside the Patil girl, Sue, and Cassidy, she looked over in Cordelia's direction and winked. Winked!</p>
<p>Something was about to go down.</p>
<p>Sure enough, when Cordelia's eyes slid over to Zacharias's face, her eyes widened as his hair turned bright pink and the word CHEATER exploded across his forehead. She slapped her hand over her face and burst into a fit of laughter as her ex-boyfriend ran out of the hall, using the robes of his hood to cover the words.</p>
<p>Winnie was absolutely brilliant.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>▬▬▬▬</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>The sound of her shoes clicking on the stone floor echoed throughout the corridor as she made her way towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She was the only one in the hall, as it was only one minute before class was due to begin (she had a reputation for constantly being late, just ask anyone) and she was already running behind. That day she had already been late for nearly every class, with the exception of Potions... but, she knew she wasn't going to get away with anything with her new Professor, so she needed to be on time. Needed.</p>
<p>There was a poster on the wall advertising an easy way to make money-- sponsored by the Weasley twins... she shook her head and let out an audible sigh as she pushed open the doors to the classroom, greeted with the sound of absolutely nothing. Cordelia saw Professor Dolores Umbridge seated carefully at her desk, a black velvet bow on the top of her head that frankly made her gag at the sight of it. She carefully made her way across the room to the only empty seat which was, to her misfortune, right beside Draco Malfoy.</p>
<p>Once the woman in pink was sure everyone was seated, she said in a polite manner, "Well, good afternoon!"</p>
<p>Only a few students mumbled a reply, including Cordelia, which was not at all to Professor Umbridge's satisfaction. "Tut, tut," she said, now getting up out of her seat (not that it made a difference, of course; the woman was so short that she was the same height standing as she was when sitting down), "That will not do. I would like you to reply, please, with 'Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon, class!"</p>
<p>"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." The class said back.</p>
<p>"Good job, class," said Professor Umbridge sweetly. "That wasn't too hard, was it? Now, wands away and quills out, please."</p>
<p>Cordelia glanced over at Draco, who had his eyebrows raised in a questioning look. She mouthed what to which he replied with the simple shrug of his shoulders and a glare at the Professor. She dug into her bag for her quill, ink, and parchment but groaned loudly as she realized that she had forgotten her quill in her dorm. She whispered to Draco, "Do you have an extra quill?"</p>
<p>He nodded and pulled one out, checking to make sure it was in proper condition, and then handed it over to her. She muttered a thank you as Professor Umbridge tapped the chalkboard twice: at once, words appeared on the board.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Defense Against The Dark Arts</p>
<p>A Return To Basic Principles</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Well, I am aware that your teaching in this subject has been a big... fragmented, and more often than not avoiding teaching what is truly in the Ministry approved curriculum," she said, turning to face the class with her hands clasped in front of her. "This has, unfortunately, resulted in you all being well below the standard we would expect to see in your O.W.L year. But I think you will be pleased to see that these problems have been rectified."</p>
<p>Cordelia's face contorted into one of absolute boredom as she zoned out. She participated in the scribbling down of the course aims onto a piece of parchment (extremely boring course aims, as a matter of fact), reading the textbook Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard (one that she had already read, of course-- her father Carelton had forced his children to read their textbooks in preparation for their classes in the upcoming year). The only thing that snapped her out of her daze was Draco nudging her shoulder and slyly pointing at Hermione Granger, who was just a few seats over, who was sitting with her hand in the air-- and her book was shut. Even though Cordelia was not close to the girl in any way, shape, or form, she knew that her neglecting to read when instructed was a sign that something was truly wrong. Professor Umbridge had apparently decided she could not ignore the Gryffindor any longer, saying, "Did you have a question about the book, dear?"</p>
<p>"Not about the book, no," said Granger, finally lowering her hand. She shook it out as if it had been hurting her.</p>
<p>"We're reading right now, Miss..."</p>
<p>"Hermione Granger."</p>
<p>"We're reading right now, Miss Granger, so any queries you have about anything other than the book can be dealt with after class."</p>
<p>"I have a query regarding the course aims, Professor," replied Hermione in a headstrong manner. She stared at Professor Umbridge and the woman stared back, obviously thinking about her response.</p>
<p>"I think that the course aims are perfectly clear if you read through them carefully."</p>
<p>Cordelia saw Hermione take a breath before saying, "Well, there's nothing in here about using defensive spells."</p>
<p>"I can't imagine why you would need to use defensive spells in my class, Miss Granger. You surely aren't expecting to be attacked during class?"</p>
<p>"We're not going to be using defensive spells?" Interjected Ron Weasley loudly, making Cordelia snort. She muttered to Draco, "This is going to get interesting."</p>
<p>"I don't like them," replied Draco quietly, "But it's better than reading this bloody book, I will say."</p>
<p>"Students must raise their hand if they wish to speak in my class, Mr.--?"</p>
<p>"Weasley."</p>
<p>Professor Umbridge turned her back on him as Harry Potter and Granger both raised their hands. Her eyes lingered on Potter for a moment before acknowledging Granger. "You wanted to ask something else?"</p>
<p>"Surely the whole point of a Defense Against the Dark Arts is to practice defensive spells?"</p>
<p>"Are you a Ministry-trained educational expert, Miss Granger?" asked Professor Umbridge in a falsely sweet voice.</p>
<p>"No, but--"</p>
<p>"Then you are not to speak on the subject. You will be learning spells in a risk-free, secure way--"</p>
<p>"What use is that?" said Potter loudly. "If we're going to be attacked it won't be in a-"</p>
<p>"Hand, Mr. Potter!"</p>
<p>Cordelia watched the exchange go on, students raising their hands in the air or speaking out of turn and Professor Umbridge shutting them down. Umbridge finally said carefully, "Who do you imagine wants to attack children like yourselves?"</p>
<p>"Hmmm. . . let's think," said Harry in a mock thoughtful voice, and Cordelia knew what he was about to say before the words even came out of his mouth. "Maybe, Lord Voldemort?"</p>
<p>Cordelia choked on her own saliva and Malfoy merely rolled his eyes, but the others who had no dealing with the Dark Lord themselves had more, well, dramatic reactions-- Ron Weasley gasped; Lavender Brown let out a little scream, and Neville Longbottom fell sideways and out of his chair. Umbridge, however, did not even flinch-- she simply stared at Potter, her eyes narrow, and said coolly, "Ten points from Gryffindor, Mr. Potter."</p>
<p>The classroom went silent-- everyone was either watching Potter or Umbridge (Cordelia specifically at the former). Umbridge stated, "Now let me make a few things clear." She leaned over her desk, standing up, resting her weight on her hands. "You have been told that a certain Dark wizard has returned from the dead--"</p>
<p>"He wasn't dead," said Harry angrily, making Cordelia's eyes widen. "But yeah, he's returned!"</p>
<p>Umbridge shot him a look. "As I was saying, you have been informed that a certain Dark wizard is at large again. This is a lie."</p>
<p>"It is NOT a lie!" said Harry, obviously getting angrier and angrier which each word he spoke. Cordelia found herself staring at him as he rolled up his sleeves. "I saw him, I fought him!"</p>
<p>"Detention, Mr. Potter!" said the professor triumphantly. "Tomorrow evening. Five o'clock. My office. I repeat . . . this is a lie. The Ministry of Magic guarantees that you are not in danger of any Dark wizard."</p>
<p>Cordelia cleared her throat and said, without bothering to raise a hand, "With all due respect, Professor, how would you know if Potter was lying or not? From what I remember you weren't even at the tournament."</p>
<p>"Would you like detention, too, Miss---?"</p>
<p>"Flint. Cordelia Flint."</p>
<p>Umbridge's face turned from sour to a smile that made Cordelia's insides twist into a knot. "You're Carleton Flint's daughter correct?" She nodded. "Well, he wouldn't like to see his little girl get detention on her first day of courses, would he? I'll let you off with a warning, Miss. Flint. Now, class, you will kindly continue your reading. Page five, 'Basics for Beginners'."</p>
<p>"Defending Gryffindors, now, are we?" muttered Malfoy as Umbridge sat back down.</p>
<p>"We both know that Potter's right," she spat, flipping the page of her book. "You remember August second, don't you? Or was I hallucinating?"</p>
<p>Draco opened his mouth to retort but ultimately failed to make a comeback. His eyes widened as the sound of a chair being moved caught Cordelia's attention, and she turned to see Potter now standing up. Granger tried to warn him to sit, tugging his sleeve, but he jerked his arm out of her reach.</p>
<p>"So, according to you, Cedric Diggory nearly died because of a maze?"</p>
<p>There was a collective intake of breath from the class. No one, except for the "golden trio", knew what truly happened on the night of the third task, when Harry Potter had appeared out of the maze clutching Cedric Diggory's unconscious body.</p>
<p>"His injuries were a tragic accident." Professor Umbridge said coldly.</p>
<p>"It was attempted murder," replied Harry, and Cordelia could practically see him shaking. The poor boy (poor boy? Where did that come from?) was so traumatized from the events, and she found herself feeling sorry for the Boy Who Lived. "Voldemort tried to kill him, and you know it."</p>
<p>Umbridge stared at him. For a moment, Cordelia thought she was going to scream at him-- but, the words and tone of voice that came out of her mouth were quite the opposite. "Come here, Mr. Potter, dear."</p>
<p>Potter kicked his chair aside and strode around his friends and up to the teacher's desk. Professor Umbridge pulled out a small roll of pink (pink!) parchment and scribbled on it. She folded up neatly and tapped it with her wand so he would not be able to open it. "Take this to Professor McGonagall, dear."</p>
<p>Potter took it without a word and left the room, leaving the entire Defense Against the Dark Arts class at a loss for words. They waited patiently for Professor Umbridge to give them their next instructions, and she said, "Class is nearly over. Continue reading."</p>
<p>And Cordelia found herself staring at the same page for the next twenty minutes until the bell excused the class from the most boring (yet, somehow, also the most entertaining) course of the day.</p>
<p>As she gathered her belongings together, the short figure of Hermione Granger came striding up in front of her. Cordelia raised her blue eyes to meet the girl's chocolate brown ones. "What?"</p>
<p>"I wasn't expecting you to defend Harry," she said, giving her a soft smile. "It was nice of you to do that."</p>
<p>"Um, thanks?"</p>
<p>"I just wanted to tell you that. Have a good afternoon." And with those parting words, Hermione Granger strode out of the room, gripping Ron Weasley's arm tightly. As she watched them leave, she thought to herself, what the bloody hell was that?</p>
<p>She left the room very confused and headed to her dorm, picked up a few of her belongings, and left again, heading towards the Great Hall to meet Winnie for their usual study session at the library. She found her mind wandering to the chaotic D.A.D.A class she had just encountered,  twisting the ring on her finger around as she spotted Winnie. She quickly made her way over to the girl.</p>
<p>"Let me tell you, polishing trophies is an absolute pain in the arse," Winnie grumbled as they started off towards the library. Winnie's hair had almost completely fallen out of the bun she was wearing on top of her head, and she hadn't bothered to re-do it.</p>
<p>"Just be glad you didn't have Snape, or, hell, Umbridge. I heard she's brutal with detentions." Cordelia chimed in as Winnie grimaced. Cordelia knew that Snape was a hard-ass when it comes to detentions (she's had a detention with him almost twice a quarter) and was dreading the fact that she was most definitely going to have a detention one day with Umbridge. The woman was like a pink devil in disguise-- a poorly maintained one, at that, as it failed to conceal the toad-like features on the woman's plump, ugly face.</p>
<p>"True, I think I would just go surrender myself to the Whomping Willow," Winnie said, and Cordelia's mind immediately conjured up a memory of she and Theodore, both eleven at the time, running around the tree and both nearly getting themselves killed. But it was worth it.</p>
<p>The two girls fell into a comfortable silence, and Cordelia absentmindedly twirled a lock of her hair in her thin fingers, a very bad habit of hers. The sound of their feet carrying them through the corridors became rhythmic as the two walked in time together. She saw Neville Longbottom quickly move past them, holding an odd-looking plant in his hands. He avoided the cousins' gaze, scuttling past them as if his life depended on it. She looked over at Winnie, who had a frown on her face-- she knew the girl hated people avoiding her just because of her family's (and her) reputation.</p>
<p>"So, you defended Potter," spoke Winnie, breaking the silence.</p>
<p>Cordelia sucked in a breath. "Indeed I did," she spoke, very matter-of-factly, as they stepped onto the staircase that had just stopped moving. "I actually agreed with what he had to say."</p>
<p>Winnie looked over at her with a shocked look on her face. Cordelia watched her form her thoughts, confused as to why it was a big deal-- scratch that, she knew why it was a big deal. Corrupt Cordelia Flint defending goody-two-shoes Harry Potter was definitely an odd thing. "Merlin! You, defending someone from my house? Are you okay?" Winnie jokingly pressed her hand against Cordelia's forehead, prompting Cordelia to push her hand away with the roll of her eyes. "Does my dear cousin like Saint Potter? Are we going to have little Potter babies running around in a few years?" Winnie teased, nudging her lightly with her elbow as she laughed softly.</p>
<p>"Don't be foolish! I was just..." Cordelia paused for a moment, scowling as she felt her cheeks warm and seeing Winnie's smirk. "I just don't think he's in the wrong, that's all!" Winnie raised an eyebrow, grinning at her cousin before turning her head in the direction of a voice that had just called Cordelia's name.</p>
<p>"Cordelia, wait up!" Daphne Greengrass was running towards them, Slytherin robes billowing behind her, and immediately Cordelia felt bile creep up her throat. She saw her cousin stiffen slightly as her stomach contents threatened to spill all over the stone floor.</p>
<p>"What do you want, Greengrass?" Winnie snapped harshly. Daphne frowned slightly as she ignored the Gryffindor and focused her attention on Cordelia, who was looking anywhere but at her.</p>
<p>"Winnie, calm down." Cordelia sighed, and Winnie looked up at her. She, Cordelia, threw a sharp glare at Daphne as if daring her to speak to her again.</p>
<p>"Can I speak to you, alone? It's about Zacharias," said Daphne, twisting her fingers nervously and chewing the inside of her cheek. Cordelia still refused to make contact with the girl her boyfriend (well, ex-boyfriend now...) had cheated on her with, not wanting anything to do with her.</p>
<p>"You should go," said Winnie, her tone of voice changing suddenly as she placed her hand on her cousin's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly. "Might be good to, you know, hear her side." She cocked her head in the direction of Daphne who momentarily looked at her in surprise. Cordelia's mind was screaming at her to go and speak to the youngest Greengrass, but she truly didn't want to suffer through what Zach had done to her again by hearing Daphne's side. It wasn't until Winnie gave her a faint smile that she finally made her decision.</p>
<p>"Alright, Greengrass, let's go," she mumbled, smiling half-heartedly at Winnie Bulstrode before turning around and walking back in the direction she had come, followed close behind by the other Slytherin, not prepared in the slightest to hear what Daphne Greengrass had to say for herself.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>things will get juicier i promise</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. the tales of daphne greengrass</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Daphne tells her side of the story.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>FLASHBACK</p>
<p>
  <em>The morning of August 18th, 1995 was off to a good start, minus the fact that the blaring heatwave was making Cordelia's head pound almost more painfully than the previous weekend, where she had practically drowned herself in two bottles of her parents finest Firewhiskey. She wasn't going to be doing that again in the near future, she knew that as a fact... but Marcus Flint, her older brother and also partner-in-crime, could say that his little sister did not often stray from her bad habits: one being, for example, her inability to stop drinking (and stealing) her parents' liquor when she was very, very stressed.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The sibling duo walked together through the streets of Diagon Alley, their parents Carleton and Emilia Flint following close behind them as they strode through the sea of people. Marcus was careful to adjust his clothing, a forest green shirt and navy blue jeans, and fix his hair every time they passed a shop window, and never missed an opportunity to wink at any girl he found attractive as she passed. Usually, it would be a girl from school-- in fact, Melinda Fernsby, Ravenclaw and also Head girl, gave him a disgusted look when he winked, walking quicker to get out of his way. Marcus had looked at Cordelia and said, with a defeated look, "Today isn't my day, is it?" To which Cordelia snorted in response.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Cordelia, Marcus," Emilia's voice rang out from behind them, prompting the two to turn their heads to face the woman. She had stopped walking, hands clasped in front of her, as her husband moved to clasp his hand on his son's shoulder. "Your father and I are going to meet with a friend. Get your supplies, and you're to meet back here--" she gestured to the storefront that was called Terrourtours, a travel agency, "--in two hours. Do not be late."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Cordelia and Marcus both nodded their heads. Carleton handed both his children a small sack of coins which they pocketed immediately. "Spend as much as you like. Get something to eat, too, because we'll be home late tonight."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Their parents turned and began walking in the opposite direction without a goodbye to their children, prompting Cordelia to raise an eyebrow as Marcus simply stared after them. He turned to his sister and said, "Interesting. Wonder who it is."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Lucius Malfoy, no doubt," replied Cordelia, turning on her heel and walking down the stone street. Marcus quickly checked his hair in the shop window before following. "Surprised he didn't bring Draco with him, though. He's always making us stay with him."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Marcus snickered. "Not our fault that the blonde bimbo can't tell right from wrong."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Cordelia looked at him with a look that said loud and clear, are you stupid? "Neither can you, dumbass. You--"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>The eldest Flint held up his hand to shut her up. "I don't need details, thank you very much."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"You sure? Because I remember--"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Cordelia, shut your mouth, please." Marcus shook his head and turned the corner. Cordelia nearly had to run to catch up with him-- at six-foot-three, Marcus Flint walked at the same pace at which Cordelia ran. "We're going to the Quidditch shop first."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"No! You just got a new broom, you dingus!" Cordelia let out a sigh. "I don't need to go to the supply shop, Marcus, I don't even play Quidditch."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>It was too late. Marcus was already walking through the door, and Cordelia had to follow him in. The ding of a bell sounded as they stepped through into the threshold holding the many, many broomsticks, and she immediately wanted to leave. Marcus looked around, and when his eyes landed on a pair of gloves (the matching ones for his Nimbus 2001-- he didn't have those yet... ), he said with a grin, "I could use a pair of new gloves... might have to go take a look!"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Marcus!" Cordelia gritted her teeth and tried to grab onto his arm but he jerked it out of her reach.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Calm down, Delia. Go get a bite to eat or something while I look around. I might be awhile..."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"We have to stay together, though," huffed Cordelia, crossing her arms over her chest.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"They didn't specifically say we had to." pointed out Marcus as he inspected the new Quaffle by Nimbus. His eyes quickly snapped to the door as Melinda Fernsby entered the store with her father. "Besides, I have some business to take care of."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Cordelia followed his gaze and saw the older girl, and nodded. "Ah, of course. What a ladies man." She leaned in close to whisper in his ear (she had to get on her tip-toes in order to do so. Cordelia hated that he was so tall), "You're business--" she used her finger's to make air quotes, "is something that I doubt Mel Fernsby would like to encounter."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Marcus shot her a glare, whisper-shouting, "And how would you know that?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"You're not as lucky with the girls as you might think. They think you're a jerk, Marcus." Cordelia was still whispering as she poked him in the chest with her finger. "You just want to get in their pants, and--"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Just shut up!"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Fine then, If you won't believe me," Cordelia lowered herself back onto her feet, backing out of the way so someone could walk past. "Then I'll just let you embarrass yourself."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"I'm not going to embarrass myself," scoffed Marcus, rolling his eyes. Cordelia quirked an eyebrow.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"You are. Trust me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have better things to be doing than putting up with your rubbish!" She turned on her heel and exited the shop, pushing her way through the door just as someone tried to get through. She muttered a weak apology that she doubted they heard as she turned the corner and out of the line of sight of her brother.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>She walked down the busy street, her feet carrying her and deciding where her next stop would be rather than her brain. She stopped outside Madam Cornwell's Cafe, taking in the sight of brightly-colored umbrellas and the vibrant letters hanging over the door, and opted to drown herself in tea here rather than the odd-looking coffee shop next door. She opened the door, which, like Quality Quidditch Supplies, dinged a bell as it popped open. She made her way to the counter and stepped behind the man who was currently in line, staring at the menu as she waited for her turn to order.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>When it came, she ordered her usual tea (black, with two sugar cubes and a small amount of milk, quite the normal thing for any English person to drink), paid, and found a seat under the window on the opposite side of the cafe. Cordelia usually didn't like to sit on her own, but it had to do because Marcus was likely still trying to get Mel Fernsby to notice him and her parents were off with who-knows-who at who-knows-where, leaving her alone for the moment. Letting her eyes wander she spotted a familiar face sitting alone at a table meant for two on the opposite end of the floor-- her boyfriend, Hufflepuff Zacharias Smith. She furrowed her brow and suddenly found herself very paranoid, because hadn't he told her he had already visited Diagon Alley for his supplies and had plans with his family that morning, and because of that they weren't going to be able to meet as they planned?</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>She tried not to let it bother her as the waitress brought over her tea. She sipped it as she attempted to read his body language, trying to convince herself that this was the plan he had with his family, but when she spotted the bag of books and a new robe hanging out of a shopping bag at his feet, her heart fell into her stomach. He lied.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>What was so important that he had to lie about already getting his school materials? They had met up for the last three years straight (second year, when they were best friends, third year, still best friends, and fourth-year when they were just a few months into their relationship), obviously when she was able to get away from her parents of course, but he had specifically said he wasn't going to be able to this time. So what was the big deal--</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Then she saw it. A girl, who she recognized as her fellow dorm mate Daphne Greengrass, brought two cups of tea (or coffee? She knew that Zach never drank coffee, and he only would drink tea if it was an herbal tea because he was just that picky) and sat down at the table. She set his teacup down in front of him, and he most likely said a 'thank you' (Cordelia couldn't tell, she was too far away to hear their conversation). As watched the two talk, she felt as if she had been slapped across the face by Zach himself as he put his hand over Daphne's, leaning in as if to kiss her. Kiss her! Zach was her boyfriend! Which means, off-limits! Seems like someone didn't get the hint...</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>Cordelia's eyes widened and tears filled them as their lips connected, moving so in sync as if they had done this before. She felt one slip down her face as her hands started to shake violently, and she couldn't bear to drink anymore. She stood up, her chair nearly flying backward due to the force of it, and she felt her heart break into pieces as she stormed angrily (and very, very upset) out of the cafe. She heard her name being called behind her in Zach's voice, who had ultimately spotted her (which means that she failed to keep herself hidden from him. What a shame), and the sounds of footsteps and the voice of the boy she loved followed her as she tried to find her brother, who was the only one whose arms she wanted to be in right now.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>(So, as one could tell, these emotions were something that Cordelia was not pleased in having to relive again. Watching Daphne's smug face pretend to be one of pain and sadness made her want to retch. She absolutely did not want to hear the tales of Daphne fucking Greengrass, because she knew she was going to be sick.)</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne was silent as she and Cordelia walked together out onto the campus grounds. Their footsteps echo had vanished as they ended up outside, and Cordelia took in a breath of the fresh, afternoon air which (sort of, not really) helped calm her nausea. She waited anxiously for Daphne to speak, and as the girl in question was still looking at anywhere but her with her fingers still twiddling nervously in her hands, Cordelia had had it. "Get on with it!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne's eyes snapped to Cordelia's face, which was pale, and the rosy color that usually adorned her cheeks was gone. She was quite clearly and rightfully upset. "Okay. Um, how do I start--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Just please, start! I don't care how you do it, I just want to get this over with." Cordelia sounded (and looked!) exasperated, her arms folded tightly over her chest as she stared intently at Daphne, who gulped nervously. She sat down on one of the benches, while the other, much angrier girl thought to herself that she would rather stand just so she could get the hell out of this situation as soon as possible when the time was right.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Well, you see," said Daphne, clasping her hands together in her lap so she would stop nervously moving them. She sucked in a breath. "We had been seeing each other for a few weeks by the time you had seen... us, at Madam Cornwall's."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cordelia's heart sank again. The look of absolute boredom and anxiety was immediately replaced with one of shock. "A few weeks? A few weeks! Are you fucking kidding me?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I'm not. And I wish I was," Daphne added, seeing Cordelia's pale face get even whiter. "I swear. It meant nothing to me."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cordelia scoffed and twisted her tongue in her mouth. "You're telling me that I visited him and cried in his fucking arms while he was messing around with you?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne nodded, making Cordelia groan with displeasure. "And don't give me that stupid 'it meant nothing' because that's what they all say. That's what my brother's ex girlfriend said before she cheated on him with a muggle over summer! And now she and the muggle are so in love and she's pregnant at seventeen, going to a muggle school."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"What does that have to do with--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It has everything to do with the situation, Daphne!" Cordelia was yelling now, getting some of the other students in the vicinity's attention. "We were happy, do you not understand that? I loved him."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne bit her lip. "You still love him."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Of course I do. But we're not together because you fucking ruined it for me. The one time I'm happy, it all falls apart because of a--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I didn't know you two were together!" Daphne cut in angrily, getting to her feet.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"That's rubbish!" Cordelia spat, taking a step backward. "It's not like we were the talk of the school after we showed up to the Yule Ball together or anything."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Cordelia, you know that's not what I meant." Daphne's voice was soft as she spoke, trying to reason with the girl whose temper was now going off the rails.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"No, I don't know what you meant. Enlighten me."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"You're not going to like it."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I don't like this whole fucking situation!" she hissed. She dug her heel into the grassy floor as more onlookers started to gather. She paid them absolutely no attention, but the feeling of them surrounding her made her draw into herself with anxiety.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"He told me you cheated on him," said the youngest Greengrass, staring up at the other girl, whose eyes widened in surprise and her hand drifted to her mouth. "With Draco Malfoy."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cordelia stood there stunned, as did the onlookers-- she heard whispers among them, saying things like 'We knew she always had a thing for him!' and 'Of course she would cheat on Zacharias! She's Marcus Flint's sister!' And as they talked among themselves in low voices, she decided that she couldn't ignore them any longer: she turned to them slowly and said with a dead stare, "Get the hell out of here. Now!"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Most of them scurried around the pillars and out of sight but a few, like Draco fucking Malfoy himself, stood still beside Pansy Parkinson, whose face had turned a beet red as she stared at her boyfriend in disbelief. "What did you say, Daphne?" Draco's voice was cold and menacing, which was not far from his usual voice, but it was sure as hell intimidating. Not to Cordelia, of course, having grown up with the bastard, but to Daphne and her sensitive self, it was definitely something that would make her explode with anxiety.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne stared at the three Slytherins, who were all glowering at her now. "He told me you cheated on him with Malfoy, and you two were broken up. I believed him. And I'm so sorry, Cordelia."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"It's true, then?" said Pansy, her eyes filled with tears as she looked from Draco to Cordelia. They both immediately shook their heads.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"No, Zacharias was lying! I swear to it," said Cordelia, moving closer to Pansy, but the girl put her hands in front of her to guard herself. "Pansy, I'm being serious. I was in love with that son of a bitch--" she stopped for a moment, looked to Draco, and then continued: "--not that son of a bitch, but you know who I mean. Hell, I still am in love with him."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"She's right," said Draco, entering the conversation himself. He wrapped his arm around Pansy who let a tear fall. She wiped it away hurriedly with the back of her hand as he squeezed her comfortably. "We never... had any, well, encounters. We're just friends. We have been since we were little, too. Family friends."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Pansy huffed. "You promise?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Draco nodded, and then Pansy threw her arms around him and cried into his shoulder. He patted her on the back (Cordelia noticed it was in a very, very awkward way, as if he didn't know what the hell to do with himself), giving Cordelia a grateful smile as Pansy poured all her emotions onto his robes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne cleared her throat. "Cordelia?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>She spun around to look Daphne in the eye. "What?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Do you believe me?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I... I guess," replied Cordelia with a shrug of her shoulders. "It just hurts that he would lie about that, you know? I mean, you wouldn't know. Or maybe you would? I honestly have no idea. I'm sorry--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Don't apologize. It's on me, I should've probed him more. And it doesn't help that he's a good liar." Daphne said with a sad laugh. Cordelia remembered a particular incident, while over Christmas break the year prior, Zacharias had told his parents that he was going to stay at Hogwarts over the break but in reality, he stayed in an empty room (one of six) in the Flint Manor (yes, Cordelia's family is wealthy. No, she isn't spoiled-- in fact, she often refuses expensive gifts and/or large sums of money that will somehow end up on her bed anyway), and her parents somehow never found out! Never! But, in her defense, they were on a two-week-long vacation to the Netherlands with the Notts, so they were able to do absolutely nothing but drink, smoke, and do other things (if you know what she means) while Marcus snuck girls in and out of the house as Theodore lazed around the house and her cousin occasionally making herself welcome to the Flint family home and turning a blind eye to her cousin's unruly shenanigans.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Look, I'm still really sorry, Cordelia," said Daphne. She rubbed her elbow. "You don't deserve any of it. If it makes you feel better, I'm pissed at him too for playing me like that, you know?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I get it. And sorry I snapped at you," Cordelia apologized, giving her former friend (or was she a friend now? She didn't know) a soft smile. "You didn't deserve that, either."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne grinned. "Thanks, Cordelia." She opened her mouth as if she was going to say something else, but she closed it again. She paused for a moment, obviously deep in thought, before saying, "Are we okay?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cordelia nodded. "Yeah. Now I can actually fucking put him in his place when I see him."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Daphne let a smirk form on her face. "Speaking of... wouldn't it be funny if, you know, we got him back together? I mean, Winnie already did that stunt this morning at breakfast. But we should confront him together because--"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Cordelia finished her sentence: "He would never expect us to be talking. I'm usually too fucking stubborn."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Yeah. Not in a bad way, though."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Sure. Sure."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The two girls finally shared a mindset-- they were both feeling the same way towards a boy that fucked them over. For Daphne, it was for lying and pretending he was single. But for Cordelia, it was the fact that the boy she loved, so much, had betrayed her in such a brutal way. And she was going to destroy him, with or without help, so Daphne suggesting that they do it together was just a bonus. And so, when Cordelia walked away from the girl that late afternoon, she decided that hearing the tales of Daphne Greengrass wasn't a bad thing after all, but it could be good in the end-- just not for Zacharias, of course.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>HARRY IS COMING I SWEAR PLS BE PATIENT</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. propositions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Multiple propositions are given to Cordelia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>𝕴n the month since the first day of courses and her conversation (or yelling match?) with Daphne Greengrass, Cordelia had come to realize just a few things:</p><p>     A) Her anxiety had settled a tremendous amount in the days following the "talk" with Daphne. She at first thought that it was because of their shared interest in making Zacharias's life a living hell, but then she concluded that it may have been from the fact that she was friends again with the girl who had previously been her best friend-- in other words, she was feeling better about reforming a relationship that had been lost. The two girls had been inseparable just a few years ago, having a falling out due to the accidental explosion of a cauldron in Potions class. Then she took note of the fact that it may not have been accidental at all, because she just happened to remember that Blaise Zabini was sitting beside them, and she also happened to remember hearing his snickers as Daphne quickly hurried out of the class crying. Fucking Blaise.</p><p>     B) She was most definitely not happy with Professor Umbridge being appointed the new D.A.D.A Professor. She thought she could live with it, but no-- the woman, who had been dubbed Umbitch by the Ravenclaws (Cordelia learned her lesson in the third year to not mess with the Eagles. They could be worse than her fellow Slytherins if they truly wanted to), had assigned two chapters (two chapters!) of reading over a two day period. Not that Cordelia was complaining, of course, because she had already read those pages over the summer, but it was the fact that she had to outline every single page of each chapter. Each. Chapter. Umbridge was already not allowing them to use defensive spells, but adding more writing to a defensive class was just making Cordelia angrier and angrier each time she stepped foot into the classroom. And it didn't help that Draco would constantly bad mouth Potter and his friends during instruction, which further made her both angry and annoyed. Yes, she didn't quite like Weasley all that much (he was an insufferable git), Malfoy could always just keep his thoughts to himself, and maybe Cordelia could have a good chance at actually passing the class with her usual O.</p><p>       C) She didn't like Zacharias Smith. Of course, that had already been decided, but it was a feeling that continued to grow. In the span of two weeks, she had seen him on the ground snogging not one, but two different girls. Yes, her heart broke just a little bit each time, but she could not let herself fall for him all over again. But it just wasn't fair that she was still in love with the bastard, because he broke her heart!</p><p>       D) She could not stop watching Harry Potter. Ever since the first Defense Against the Dark Arts class, she just couldn't keep her blue eyes off of him. It didn't make any sense, and it made her insides boil because she did not want to associate herself with a Gryffindor! (The only exception to this was Winnie.) She had bad experiences with Hufflepuffs and was already suffering through Winnie's bossy comments like "You need to get back to work!" or "Stop complaining and just focus!" She didn't need the extra Gryffindor in her life who would just try and be better at everything or be so proud of himself that he wouldn't let her speak. And it seemed like her friends had noticed, too, because one day in Potions, Theo had to snap her out of her thoughts as she watched Potter cut up his dandelion roots. To further that, Winnie had noticed that as well-- when they would eat breakfast together once or twice a week, Cordelia found herself absolutely distracted by the boy with the lightning scar. She couldn't help herself-- he just had really nice eyes. But she needed to stop because if she did end up falling for the boy (which she highly doubted, he was too awkward for her liking), her parents would not be happy.</p><p>So, when Winnie came to ask her a question on a Saturday morning, Cordelia kept this in mind as she said her answer: no.</p><p>"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you have better things to be doing." Winnie's voice was stern, as usual, and it made Cordelia roll her eyes.</p><p>"I have homework!" Cordelia leaned back into her seat. She brought her jug of butterbeer to her lips, and as she took a drink she felt the drink warm her body from the top down.</p><p>"It's one Saturday out of the rest of your life, Cordelia," Winnie snorted, taking a sip of her hot cocoa. The two were sitting outside the Three Broomsticks, the cold fall weather making both shiver down to their core. "I don't want to go by myself, I barely know the people!"</p><p>"Then don't go if you don't feel comfortable," retorted Cordelia, setting her glass down on the table. "I'm not going."</p><p>"You are, I'm going to make you."</p><p>"No, you're not--"</p><p>"Yes, I am!" Winnie said, giggling a little. "Please, Hermione wants me to spread the message to as many people as I can. And I know a lot of people."</p><p>Cordelia clicked her tongue. "Wow, brag about your popularity, will you?" She took another sip of butterbeer. "I'm not going to spend my Saturday in a room full of Gryffindors."</p><p>"We're not so bad, you know," acknowledged Winnie, brushing her hair back behind her ears. She crossed her legs under the table, grunting in pain when she accidentally hit her knee on the table. "Ouch!"</p><p>"That's what you get for making me go along with you!" Cordelia snickered, sticking her tongue out at her cousin in a mocking manner. Winnie narrowed her eyes. "I'm not going, end of story."</p><p>"You are. I don't care if I have to force you."</p><p>"Why do you care so much if I go or not! It's literally not that big of a deal--"</p><p>"I'm supposed to make people come, and you're the lucky one I'm forcing," said Winnie, placing one hand around her mug and rubbing her knee with the other. "I know Theo would, but I'm not taking him."</p><p>"Why not?" Cordelia was smirking now. "He would love to have some one-on-one time with you."</p><p>"No. Absolutely not," Winnie complained, shaking her head fervently. "No. No."</p><p>"Here's a question for you," replied Cordelia, leaning over the table. She clasped her hands in front of her and looked Winnie in the eye. "Why do you try and hate him so much? He's head over heels in love with you, Win."</p><p>"No, he doesn't," Winnie replied, averting eye contact. She stared at the window that was behind Cordelia, looking into the tables of the Three Broomsticks. "No!"</p><p>"Why won't you give him a chance?"</p><p>"Because," said Winnie, enunciating the 'cause', "I don't need to. This is our O.W.L year, and I have better things to be worrying about than stupid boyfriends. Besides, I don't want to get my heart broken as you did."</p><p>Cordelia's mouth fell open. "Way to call me out! That hurt." She pressed her hand over her chest where her heart was, jutting out her lip and pretending to cry. "I'm offended."</p><p>"You know what I mean." Winnie rolled her eyes as she lifted the mug to her lips, took a sip, and set it back down. "Look, Cordelia, why is it such a big deal to spend an hour with us lions?"</p><p>"Merlin, it's like you want me to get bullied. My brother will never let it go, and Draco-- god, who knows what Draco would say. You know how he hates them with every fiber in his being."</p><p>Winnie nodded her head. "You know," she said, inclining her head towards the boy himself as he walked into Zonko's Joke Shop on the other side of the street with his goons Crabbe and Goyle. "This is off-topic, but I have a feeling that he might have a little crush on Hermione Granger."</p><p>Cordelia snorted. "No way! He despises her. Calls her slurs!"</p><p>Winnie raised an incredulous eyebrow as she unwrapped a chocolate frog, the foil crinkling in her hands as she rolled it up into a little ball. "I don't know... he doesn't seem all that into Parkinson."</p><p>"I mean... not really," replied Cordelia, but then remembering the awkward patting of Pansy's back as he stared at her with a what do I do expression on his face. She guessed what Winnie was saying had a little backing to it. Just a little. "No. He's not into her, trust me. He would tell me--"</p><p>"Would he, really?" said Winnie, eyebrows still raised. She bit the head off her chocolate frog and it stopped trying to jump out of her hands as it had been doing before. "He's a little... odd."</p><p>"He's nice when you get to know him," Cordelia said. She took another large gulp of butterbeer (what she really wanted right now, though, was a nice bottle of Firewhiskey. But she was underage, so she definitely couldn't get her hands on one... ). "Trust me."</p><p>"Hmph." The door to the Three Broomsticks opened with the ding of a bell and three people exited the pub-- she heard the familiar voice of Hermione Granger scolding the two boys who were with her (her heart skipped a beat when she saw Harry Potter and she tried to keep her face from flushing. Winnie would make so much fun of her), who were both looking very, very annoyed. Winnie perked up. "Hermione!"</p><p>"Hi, Winnie!" Winnie stood to embrace the bookworm, and when they let go of each other she smiled at Cordelia softly. Cordelia tried to return it but it didn't come out as much of a smile, more of an odd mix between a smile and a frown. "Hi, Cordelia! Did Winnie talk to you about coming to the meeting next Saturday? Just down the road at the Hog's Head."</p><p>Weasley shot Hermione a look, who returned it with just as much force. For someone shorter than him, he seemed to take every face she made and every word she said extremely seriously. Potter just looked extremely bored and out of place, staring off into the distance dramatically. It was like he was trying to distract himself from looking at something, but what? Cordelia didn't know. She cleared her throat and said, "Yeah, uh, I--"</p><p>"She'll be there!" Winnie interrupted, winking at her cousin who shot her a glare (Did Winnie really just make plans for her? When she specifically said she didn't want to go? The nerve of her). "Eleven, right?"</p><p>"Yes!" Hermione was beaming, and Cordelia was not. She was, in fact, extremely annoyed at Winnie Bulstrode. "See you guys. Have a good afternoon!" She sped off in the direction of the castle, followed closely behind by her friends who were shadowing her like lost puppies.</p><p>Once they were out of earshot, Cordelia snapped, "Why would you tell them I'm going? Now I have to be there."</p><p>Winnie giggled and took another bite of her chocolate frog. "That's the whole point!" She gave her a toothy grin as she checked her watch, and her brown eyes went wide in alarm. "Merlin! I gotta go, I told Parvati I would meet her in the library to help with her Charms homework. Poor girl's useless at it."</p><p>"Winnie."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You owe me."</p><p>"I know. See you later!" She quickly got to her feet and sped off in the same direction that the trio had just taken, leaving Cordelia alone, cold, and with a nearly empty bottle of butterbeer. She downed it as she stared at the nearly empty village of Hogsmeade, in all it's cold and gloomy glory.</p><p>Her thoughts were interrupted when Marcus suddenly sat down in the chair that had previously been occupied by Winnie and set down his shopping bag with a slam, startling his sister out of her own mind. "Oh my God, Marcus! You scared the living daylight out of me!" Her breathing was suddenly ragged as she tried to catch her breath. "I hate you."</p><p>Marcus simply grunted, "I needed to talk to you."</p><p>"About?" Cordelia asked, her heartbeat finally going back to its normal pace. "Please tell me it's not--"</p><p>"I don't know if you've heard," interrupted Marcus, pretending that she had not just been in the middle of speaking, "But Umbridge has assembled a group of us Slytherins, there are a few other houses mixed in there as well but it's just a small group of us. Like ten or fifteen," he added, seeing Cordelia's eyes go wide in anticipation of a large crowd. "She wanted me to talk to you about joining."</p><p>Why was everyone so interested in her joining something? First, it was Winnie trying to get her to attend some stupid meeting with the lions. Apparently, her cousin believed that she could just make plans for her without her permission (which, on the contrary, was something that was needed for Cordelia to go out and socialize, but she didn't like to admit that) and that just made her blood boil. She was not going to spend her Saturday doing who-knows-what in the disgusting pub that made her anxiety skyrocket every time she walked past it.</p><p>And then there was her brother, who, like always, just assumed she was in on his plans. But not this time! She was staring him down like a hawk and she thought to herself that this was absolutely bloody ridiculous. Why would she, someone who hated the guts of Professor Umbridge, go and join her club? It wasn't logical, and Marcus coming to ask her to join was simply stupid. Cordelia stared him down like a hawk, daring him to ask again, but, alas, he didn't take the hint. He said as he looked her in the eye, "Well, are you in?"</p><p>"Of course I'm not in! I hate the woman!"</p><p>"She handpicked students to join," Marcus said, puffing out his chest as if to show how proud he was to be one of Umbitch's 'handpicked students', a title that Cordelia thought was utterly laughable. "You should be flattered!"</p><p>"Flattered? Is this a joke?" Her tone was mocking, and it made Marcus frown.</p><p>"Obviously not, Delia!"</p><p>She rolled her eyes. "You really think I would join this club of hers? After seeing the way she treats people?" She shook her head, disappointed, and stared over Marcus's shoulder. "No. It's absurd."</p><p>"Look," Marcus said, clasping his hands on the table in front of him. "Mum and Dad wrote to me this morning, and apparently Umbridge wrote to them telling them how you and I were joining. I don't want to join as much as you do, but Dad said he would be disappointed if we didn't, so... and he said he's going to check with Umbridge about our 'status' in the club."</p><p>Cordelia swallowed. "Why do they try to monitor our every move even when we're out of the house?"</p><p>"I don't know. But I'm just telling you you should join just to stay off their radar," replied Marcus, now leaning back in the chair. He licked his lips. "Just think about it. I don't want you to get in trouble with them."</p><p>"I'd rather stay out of trouble, too," she groaned in reply, resting her forehead against the table. "I hate our parents."</p><p>"Believe me, so do I. Especially after Max."</p><p>The siblings stayed quiet for a moment, breathing the cold air and watching other shoppers maneuver in and out of shops on the opposite street, before Cordelia whimpered, "It's his birthday next week, isn't it?"</p><p>Marcus nodded solemnly. "Yeah."</p><p>"Hm. Of course it's on that fucking Saturday!" She lifted her head to meet her brother's eyes. "Winnie's forcing me to go to a meeting with her. I don't want to go."</p><p>"Was that why she was just here?"</p><p>"Yep. It's gonna be mostly Gryffindors, too! The nerve of her!"</p><p>"Cordelia," said Marcus lightly as he crossed his arms. "Gryffindors aren't so bad!"</p><p>"What's gotten into you?" she said suddenly, leaning over the table to press the back of her hand on his forehead. "Are you sick? Did you hit your head on something?"</p><p>"Oh, shove off," he said, a blush rising to his cheeks. A blush! "I just think we give them more credit for being narcissistic arseholes than they deserve."</p><p>His sister snorted. "Have you met Angelina Johnson? And why are you blushing, Marcus? Have you met someone?"</p><p>She giggled as his face turned redder. She poked him in the nose. "Who!"</p><p>Marcus hesitated before speaking, only because Cordelia slapped him in the shoulder and gave him a glare, forcing him to reveal who his mystery lover was. "Remember the girl from Diagon Alley? The one you said wouldn't like my business or whatever?"</p><p>Her mouth fell open. "Melinda Fernsby? The Ravenclaw?"</p><p>Marcus laughed, a sound that Cordelia hadn't heard come out of his mouth in months. Months! Her brother was finally happy, and that made her happy. For the first time in a few weeks, she felt her chest loosen and a smile bloomed on her lips. "Yeah, her."</p><p>"That's great!"</p><p>"I thought you would be upset."</p><p>A frown replaced the newly formed smile on her face. "Why?"</p><p>"I didn't think you would be too happy with me and a Ravenclaw."</p><p>Cordelia grinned again, and this time the smile reached her eyes. "Are you forgetting Zach was a Hufflepuff?"</p><p>Marcus's eyes widened. "I thought he was a Slytherin if I'm being honest-- from the way he acted--"</p><p>"No, you idiot!" She suddenly burst into laughter, and a charismatic look graced her brother's features. He began to laugh, too, and suddenly everything seemed okay.</p><p>The two stayed this way for a moment, sharing the sibling bond that they hadn't felt in the two years since the day that they both couldn't speak about, a day that traumatized the two and split their relationship down the middle. But, on a day like this, Cordelia found herself wanting to be around her brother, a feeling that she hadn't felt since her heart was broken.</p><p>Honestly, she was feeling good. And the euphoric feeling that made her insides feel like Felix Felicis and made her feel like she was floating on air made her agree to join the Inquisitorial Squad.</p><p>That was a decision that would soon come to haunt her, and one that would make her feel conflicted in her loyalty-- but Cordelia didn't know that yet, and she was feeling happier than she had in the last month, and she wanted to continue to feel happy for as long as she could.</p><p>But, unfortunately, Cordelia Flint's happiness never stayed for long.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. the woes of the flint family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>An insight is given into the Flint family.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>𝕴f one thing was certain in the life of Cordelia Flint, it was the sad fact that whatever she did, no matter how hard she tried, she was never happy.</p><p>You see, ever since she was a small child, Cordelia had always been involved in internal family affairs that almost guaranteed her to be in a permanent state of misery and despair. It was true that the Flint family had a sorrowful state of mind, as were all the families that were intertwined with theirs (the Blacks were a great example), and they were consistent in making sure their children were well-behaved, blood-supremacy-believers who were constantly down-hearted.</p><p>The latest generation of Flint's was by far the most progressive. The firstborn was Marcus, middle-name Alexander, who was born in nineteen-seventy-six. He had a good childhood, to say the least, and was most definitely on the road to success by the time he turned seven. He was a gifted student, but he had a nasty temper that always threatened his reputation in and out of his family. He was, without a doubt, the favorite child of Carleton Flint and Emilia Bulstrode.</p><p>It wasn't a secret that the next child born to the second son of Everard Flint was the black sheep of the family. Maximus, no middle name, was, at the very least, loved by only his siblings. Even from the moment he came out of his mother's womb, crying and hungry, his mother knew from the very beginning that he was going to give her trouble. And she was right-- he would turn out to be a lot for the woman to handle, but only because she did not want to accept the decisions he had made for himself, a mindset that, on her part, would make her child suffer a fate worse than death.</p><p>When he was thirteen years old, he was in an accident. Although, due to his injuries (or rather the lack of them) it was quite obvious that it had clearly been due to foul play. But, because of his parents' influential nature, by the time he was pronounced dead on the grounds of his own home his death had been ruled an accident. It was this incident, in particular, one out of many, that would haunt the nightmares of Marcus and Cordelia Flint for years to follow.</p><p>Cordelia Margaret Flint was the only daughter in the family, resulting in her parents spoiling her with all sorts of goods until she practically turned blue in the face. One most memorable of these moments was when she was eleven years old and had returned home from her first term at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry: she arrived in her bedroom to find a large sack of money on her bed. What on earth was an eleven-year-old supposed to do with 1000 gallons? All she wanted at that age was a pony! It was difficult to relay this to her parents for they turned angry when she told them she didn't really have any need for the money they had gifted her just because she was sorted into Slytherin. Very much like her brother Marcus, Cordelia had a temper, one that would get into trouble if she wasn't able to control it, but very mule unlike her brother Marcus, she was able to do exactly that, which meant she could get away with nearly anything-- and that would become both a blessing and a curse.</p><p>The Flint family wasn't the most perfect-- in fact, they were far from it. It was a well-known fact amongst the other families of the Sacred Twenty Eight that the Flints were one of the most blood-supremacist families (aside from the Malfoys and Blacks, but that's a story for another time)and were definitely and almost always fighting with each other on the inside.</p><p>Cordelia could vouch for that. As a matter of fact, she was very heavily influenced by the pugnacious nature of those she grew up with, resulting in her knowing what made her parents and siblings tick-- from not greeting in the morning with a proper 'good morning' to even addressing them in the wrong tone of voice, it was these things that she had learned to be aware of in order to stay on their good side (because believe her, it was not a good thing to get on their bad side). Marcus learned, too, but Maximus wasn't so lucky: he was a little, well, tone-deaf, according to eleven-year-old Cordelia just a few weeks before he died. It wasn't so much him not understanding how to deal with his mother and father, more so the reason was that he just didn't care.</p><p>Cordelia sat alone in her dorm room in the early morning hours of the following Saturday, a day that was absolutely dreading. Her brother's would-be sixteenth birthday made her thoughts muddled and left her unable to focus on much other than the photo on her nightstand.</p><p>Her younger self was in the middle of the frame, hugging both her brothers tightly and smiling a toothy-grin at the photographer (Winnie, of course-- she had a knack for using cameras that Cordelia frankly didn't understand). It was obvious they were laughing, but at that moment she couldn't remember what the reason was, and that made her sigh in distress. She wanted to remember the good moments, but every time she looked at Max's face all she saw was him as a broken corpse.</p><p>She sucked in a breath and forced herself to look away from the photo, where she and Marcus were laughing like maniacs while Max tried to pry himself out of his older brother's grip. It was the one photo of her brother that she had hidden and the only one that hadn't been destroyed-- in other words, it was the only thing she had left of him that hadn't been forced out of her hands and shredded into pieces like the others.</p><p>She glanced over at the clock on the wall-- it was only seven in the morning, which meant she had four hours until Winnie was going to drag her out to the disgusting pub (and it also meant she had four hours to pull herself together before facing Harry Potter and his Gryffindor friends). Cordelia's feet carried her out into the common room, out into the corridors, and into the Great Hall before she even was able to process that her appetite was completely diminished.</p><p>She was almost the only person in the hall, the others being a few Ravenclaw's she didn't know the names of, one or two Hufflepuffs (thank Merlin the group didn't include Zach, or else she would have passed out from being overwhelmed), a few of her brother's friends (who she assumed were waiting for him, he was the captain of the Slytherin Quidditch team after all and he always had practice on Saturday mornings), and Hermione Granger sitting alone at the Gryffindor table, feasting on a simple piece of toast and a side of porridge.</p><p>She watched her for a moment as she flipped the pages of what she assumed to be the Daily Prophet eagerly, invested in what was written on the page. Cordelia, on the other hand, absolutely despised reading the Daily Prophet. Each time she picked up the paper, the first thing she saw was always a bold lie that made her sigh in disbelief. Her favorite example was one from last year, when journalist Rita Skeeter was still reporting-- it made her giggle because, right there on the front page, was Harry Potter and Hermione Granger wrapped in an embrace (which, Cordelia had to admit, was very intimate, but she knew the two were best friends-- she'd always noticed Hermione's longing glances at Ron Weasley's older brother) with reading Harry Potter's Secret Heartache. Good times, she thought, but that was the end of an era-- she had bigger things to worry about than what was in the bloody Daily Prophet.</p><p>She averted her gaze when Granger lifted her head but was fortunate enough to see that she wasn't looking in her direction. In fact, Winnie Bulstrode had just entered the large double doors of the Great Hall and was walking towards her Gryffindor friend, and as she walked, Cordelia couldn't help but notice the blue piece of fabric wrapped around her left hand as she watched the two girls interact-- it was too far away for her to hear what was being said, but it was a short conversation for Winnie waved goodbye to Granger and made her way over in her direction. She quickly busied herself with putting food onto her plate, knowing that her cousin would shove a piece of sausage down her throat so she got at least something into her body.</p><p>The girl in question sat across from her, setting her bag down on the table with a slam that made everyone turn their heads, but she paid them no attention. Without so much as a greeting, she began to ladle porridge into a bowl and sprinkle it with blueberries, making Cordelia's eyebrows knit together in concern as she watched Winnie eat as if her life depended on it.</p><p>"What's wrong with you?" she probed, popping a strawberry into her mouth.</p><p>"Nothing," Winnie promised, the ghost of a smile on her lips as she wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin. "I'm just exhausted." </p><p>"Why are you exhausted?"</p><p>"I had a long night."</p><p>"What happened to your hand?"</p><p>"Oh, for God's sake, Cordelia, stop asking questions!" Winnie whisper-shouted frustratingly as she poured herself a glass of water. "Everything's fine!"</p><p>Cordelia looked at her with worried eyes as she continued to eat, not bothering to take another bite of food herself. Winnie's attitude seemed... off, but it wasn't her place to speak on it. She pretended not to notice the muscle in her jaw twitch or the way she avoided using her bandaged hand. She watched her for a few more minutes in the uncomfortable silence before it became too overwhelming, and so she said, "Winnie."</p><p>"What, Cordelia?"</p><p>"Did you have detention with Umbridge last night?"</p><p>Winnie blinked. "How did you know?"</p><p>"I'm not stupid," Cordelia crowed, pushing her plate of fruit aside and leaning forward on her elbows that were propped up on the table. "I've seen people walking around with a bandage like that. Claire came back from detention the other night with the words 'I will not talk back' carved into the back of her hand."</p><p>Winnie shuddered. "It hurt like hell," she said, unwrapping the fabric around her hand and showing her the words that were etched into the back of her hand: Blood Traitors keep their mouths shut.  Cordelia's eyes widened at the sight of it and reached to grab her hand, which still had dried blood caked in the crooks of the cuts which were deep and inflamed, and Winnie flinched as she ran a finger over it. "Ouch! Don't touch it."</p><p>"Sorry," Cordelia said, taking the fabric from Winnie's other uninjured hand and wrapping it around the cut one herself. "Oh, if you want to stop by my common room I can give you some of the leftover murtlap essence I let Claire borrow. It helps."</p><p>"It's okay, I can handle it."</p><p>She pursed her lips. "You sure?"</p><p>Winnie nodded and took another bite of her porridge. "I didn't even do anything bad. There was this first year in the corridor who Umbitch--" she shot Cordelia a look when she started to giggle at the word Umbitch, "--was giving detention. So I go over there, right, and I tell her to stop yelling at children, and she tries to hex me! Hex me! What kind of Professor would do that to a student for standing up for a bloody child? I was so furious, and Theodore didn't make it any better."</p><p>Cordelia narrowed her eyes, still processing the fact that Winnie had nearly been hexed by Professor Umbridge-- it was in that very moment that she decided fervently that the vile, evil, wicked woman with the bow perched atop her head was going to be six feet under by the end of the school year. Then the name of Theodore was mentioned and she immediately snapped her head up to face her cousin, whose cheeks were flushed with anger as she stabbed at a piece of sausage with her fork. "Hold on, Theo came to your rescue?"</p><p>"He did not come to my rescue," Winnie scoffed as Cordelia grinned. "I was doing perfectly fine without him!" She shoved a bite of porridge into her mouth, chewed it, and then continued as the brunette watched her with both a confused and amused look mixed into one on her face. "He didn't need to pretend I was his girlfriend--"</p><p>"He said you were his girlfriend? In front of Umbridge?" Cordelia's mouth fell open as Winnie pointed in the direction of the staff table (thank God the woman wasn't there-- the fact that there were almost no students in the Great Hall made it very easy for them to be overheard, and if Umbridge happened to be sitting at the table, Cordelia knew that it would not be a good thing) with her fork as she swallowed.</p><p>"Yeah! Then he put his arm around me and said we were going to go study. Like hell we were! He's so infuriating, and sometimes it makes me want to throw up."</p><p>"Oh, stop being so childish," Cordelia groused, shifting in her seat. Winnie narrowed her eyes at her as she opened her mouth to speak again. "He's just showing his affection!"</p><p>"He could always do it in a more toned-down way. Or, here's a thought, not at all!" She put more blueberries on top of her porridge and stirred them in. "Why can't he just leave me alone?"</p><p>"That's a good question, actually," replied Cordelia. She poured herself a glass of pumpkin juice and lifted it to her lips, taking a sip and letting the drink run down her throat, refreshing her. "I always forget how damn good this pumpkin juice is."</p><p>Winnie raised an eyebrow as she set her spoon back down in her bowl. "You're aware that we've been here for a month, right?"</p><p>"And?"</p><p>"You haven't had any pumpkin juice since we got here?"</p><p>"Shut up, you know what I meant," she said, rolling her eyes as Winnie smiled. "What time did you end up finishing detention?"</p><p>Winnie pressed her index finger to her cheek and propped her chin on the rest of her clenched fingers as she looked deep in thought for a moment. "I think it was, like, ten-thirty. We went to the kitchens to get a bite to eat afterward."</p><p>Cordelia's nose scrunched up in disgust. "I can't believe you like peanut butter-- wait, did you say we?"</p><p>Winnie's pink lips quirked upwards into a smirk. "Yeah, me and Potter--" her smirk grew bigger when she saw Cordelia's flushed, pink face, "--were hungry, so we stopped by there."</p><p>"Since when are you friends with Potter?" Cordelia asked, willing that the burning sensation that had just risen to her face would go away, but when she saw Winnie's satisfied smile, she knew her face was most likely still pink. "I've never seen you talk to him once."</p><p>"I'm not. Well, I'd like to be," she added. "He's nice."</p><p>"So he's not as, well, tempered as he is in class?"</p><p>"Not at all. He's an awkward little shite, honestly," Winnie answered, taking another bite of sausage. "He's cool, though. You'd like him. Oh, I forgot to ask, why are you here so early? Saturday's are usually when you sleep in."</p><p>Cordelia's thoughts about Max suddenly came back with such force that she felt the wind get knocked out of her, causing her to suck in a breath so deep that Winnie's eyes widened in concern. She had been able to pretend that everything was normal for those few moments when Winnie had been discussing what was on her mind, and now that the attention was back on her, she suddenly felt submerged in the memories of her brother's death. "Oh, um, I couldn't sleep."</p><p>"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Winnie's voice was taut and filled with a sudden bout of worry.</p><p>"No, of course not. Why do you say that?"</p><p>"Come off it. You have that 'woe is me' look on your face. You can tell me. You're not nervous about the Hog's Head meeting later, are you?" Winnie asked, and Cordelia immediately shook her head.</p><p>"No! No, I'm not nervous," she blubbered, feeling a sudden wave of anxiety wash over her like a wave. The mix of sadness and uneasiness made her suddenly feel queasy. "Today's Max's birthday."</p><p>Winnie's concerned eyes suddenly changed to ones full of desolation as she watched her cousin. "Oh, no... are you feeling okay?"</p><p>She took in a shuddery breath as she tried to keep her composure-- it was, unfortunately, not working. She expected that, though, because Winnie had this air to her that made her want to tell her every secret she's ever kept and feeling like all her emotions were just going to explode out of her at once. "Not really. The day just keeps replaying in my mind and it's making me feel sick." She flinched as she remembered the flash. "I'll be okay in a few hours."</p><p>"We can bail on the meeting--"</p><p>"No! I'll go. I just said I'll feel better in a few hours."</p><p>Winnie monitored Cordelia's face. "Well, maybe some fresh air will help. We can talk about it if you want."</p><p>"I don't want to talk about it with you," she interjected, but quickly added, seeing Winnie's face of hurt, "I mean, I want to talk to Marcus. It'll help me more rather than talking to you because you didn't know Max like he did."</p><p>Winnie nodded in agreement as relief washed over her face. "You're right. We can go on a stroll and make our way over to Hogsmeade? Maybe go look at a few shops before the meeting, try and get your mind off it for a couple of hours."</p><p>Cordelia hummed. "I guess. When?"</p><p>The blonde shrugged her shoulders. "Now, if you want."</p><p>"That might be a good idea."</p><p>"I think it'll help, trust me."</p><p>"You better be right."</p><p>Winnie stood up and grabbed her bag. "We can discuss how to get Theo off my back."</p><p>A smile curved onto Cordelia's lips as she got to her feet and followed Winnie out of the Great Hall, passing Hermione Granger and her Daily Prophet as they left. "Or we can talk about how you're secretly in love with him!"</p><p>An annoyed grin formed on Winnie's face as she smacked Cordelia in the arm with her bag. "I am not in love with him!"</p><p>Cordelia chuckled to herself, rubbing her arm with her opposite hand and shooting Winnie a look. "You'll forget all about that in twenty years when you two are married with children."</p><p>"Oh, shut your mouth. I'll prove you wrong."</p><p>"You wish."</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. the hog's head</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Hog's Head meeting has come, and Cordelia must attend, much to her dismay.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cordelia wouldn't be exaggerating if she said she would rather claw her eyes out than go to the meeting.</p><p>Winnie, on the other hand, was beaming as she carried her bags (many, many bags-- her bloody cousin had bought so much candy from Honeydukes and had also decided she needed a new tie and coat) out of the store, a licorice wand hanging from her mouth as she walked out into the cold air. "That was fun, wasn't it? A well-needed shopping trip."</p><p>"So fun!" replied Cordelia in a sarcastic tone of voice, prompting her cousin to frown. "What an amazing experience, I say!"</p><p>"Cordelia, just because you didn't buy anything doesn't mean you can shit on my parade!" Winnie retaliated, sticking out her tongue in a mocking manner. Her cousin simply snorted in amusement-- she adored making Winnie on edge, it was one of the few things she looked forward to every time she opened her eyes in the morning (this is a mostly sarcastic comment, but for the most part it's true: Cordelia lives and breathes just to annoy Winnie Bulstrode).</p><p>"Am I not allowed to joke, Winnie?" she asked calmly, tugging on the collar of her jumper.</p><p>Winnie shot her a disgruntled look that made her smile in satisfaction as they stopped on the outside of the Hog's Head pub. The windows were so dirty it was practically impossible to see through them without the need to squint. Cordelia scrunched up her nose and said, trying to keep her voice steady (it was shaking due to nerves, but she didn't need Winnie knowing that she was nervous about stepping inside the room full of Gryffindors), "How many people are coming?"</p><p>Winnie waved her hand. "Oh, just a few people."</p><p>The blue-eyed girl let out a sigh of relief as she watched Fred and George Weasley and Lee Jordan approach the door, their arms, unsurprisingly, full of Zonko's Joke Shop merchandise. Winnie stepped forward to open the door for them, and George gave her a grateful nod as Lee looked at Cordelia with an odd look on his face. The two walked closely behind. Immediately the voices ceased as the eyes of those inside the room landed on Cordelia's face.</p><p>As they stared, she noticed that unlike Winnie had said, there were not just a few people-- there had to be at least twenty (oh, the way she was going to yell at Winnie when this was over!)! Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley were standing in the back of the room closest to the bartender who was handing Cedric Diggory a butterbeer as he leaned against his crutches; Neville Longbottom was sitting in a chair beside Dean Thomas and Lavender (who's last name was unknown to her, she only knew her first name because Zach had an enormous crush on her in the second year).</p><p> Parvati and her identical twin sister (Parvati waved eagerly at Winnie, who waved back with a grin on her face) were taking a seat in the far corner; Cathy Chang and her girlfriend were there, too; as was Luna Lovegood, who was looking so dreamy that Cordelia could've very well believed that she came into the pub on accident; then she caught sight of a few of the Gryffindor Quidditch team players she did not know the names of, two little Gryffindor boys (one of which had a large camera strapped to his side that he seemed quite attached to), some of Winnie's other Ravenclaw friends Antony Goldstein, Michael Corner and his girlfriend Ginny Weasley, Terry Boot, and a few Hufflepuffs that she knew because of Zach (Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbott, and Susan Bones)-- and then, to her surprise and also to her displeasure, Zacharias Smith himself.</p><p>Why in the hell was he here? As if her day couldn't get any worse. She elbowed Winnie in the gut. "A couple of people? And you didn't think it was important to mention that he was coming?" She gestured at the blonde, who was talking in a low voice to Ernie.</p><p>Winnie simply shrugged in reply as they found two chairs, the silence of the room overwhelming as Cordelia took a seat next to Cathy Chang. Cathy gave her a small wave (she and Winnie were good friends, and her cousin had put in a good word for her). Cordelia rolled her eyes and glanced around the room, and seeing that everyone was still looking at her like she was about to hex everyone into oblivion, she said in a loud, grating voice, "Oh, for God's sake, go stare at something else! I'm a Slytherin, not some fucking--"</p><p>Zacharias looked over in her direction, eyes widening, as Winnie jabbed her in the side and whispered loudly, "Don't be so aggressive!"</p><p>"They were staring at me! It's not my fault--"</p><p>"Behave yourself," said Winnie, wagging a finger in her face. "Please."</p><p>Cordelia made a face. "How do you expect me to 'behave myself' when he's here and all these people are staring at me!" She discreetly pointed at Zach as he watched her, eyes flitting over her face, apparently not noticing her sharp finger directed at him.</p><p>"Just try, okay? Now, shut up."</p><p>"Winnie, come on--"</p><p>The clearing of a throat brought her attention back to her surroundings. Granger had gotten to her feet and she was standing awkwardly at the front of the room. Cordelia let her gaze fall upon Potter, who was sitting in a chair beside Weasley, as his fingers twisted nervously in his lap. His cheeks were flushed pink and his glasses kept sliding down his nose as he watched his friend. "Well, um... hi."</p><p>Everyone looked back to Granger, but Cordelia was still eyeing Potter warily as she spoke. "You, erm, know why you're here... Erm, well, Harry here had the idea--" she paused for a split second as Potter threw her a look, "--I mean, I had the idea, that it might be good for people who wanted to study Defense Against the Dark Arts-- and I mean, really study it, you know, not the rubbish that Umbridge is teaching us--" (Cordelia noticed that her voice had suddenly become more secure, as it stopped wavering) "--because nobody could call that Defense Against the Dark Arts, and I, well, thought it might be good if we, um, took matters into our own hands."</p><p>Cordelia saw the girl's cheeks redden as Fred Weasley raised his butterbeer bottle and said, "Hear, hear!" Then she shot a sideways glance at Potter and then went on: "And by that, I mean learning how to defend ourselves properly, not just theory but the real spells--"</p><p>"You want to pass your Defense Against the Dark Arts O.W.L. too, I bet?" interrupted Terry Boot as he watched her.</p><p>Of course, she does, thought Cordelia, just as Granger said at once, "Of course I do! But I want more than that. I want to be properly trained in Defense because... because..." She sucked in a breath and then said, as if hesitating, "Because Lord Voldemort's back."</p><p>The reaction of everyone in the room was as Cordelia expected-- Winnie's whole body twitched and slopped butterbeer down her front, Cathy Chang's girlfriend let out a little shriek, and Neville Longbottom yelped but managed to turn it into a cough; she, however, stayed perfectly still, because this was not news to her-- she, in fact, had seen the Dark Lord himself. She pushed the memory aside as Hermione continued.</p><p>"That's the plan, anyway," she said. "If you want to join us, we need to decide how we're going to--"</p><p>"Where's the proof that You-Know-Who's back?" interrupted a voice from her right, and Cordelia turned to see Zach just as he shut his mouth. Immediately her body tensed and her hand-formed into a fist that she concealed in her lap.</p><p>"Well, Dumbledore believes it--" Hermione Granger began.</p><p>"You mean, Dumbledore believes him," said Zach, nodding in Harry's direction.</p><p>"Who are you?" Ron Weasley said rather rudely, jabbing a finger in the blond's direction.</p><p>"Zacharias Smith," he replied, "and I think we've got the right to know exactly what makes him say You-Know-Who's back."</p><p>Cordelia couldn't keep her mouth shut any longer, and started to speak just as Granger opened her mouth to reply. "Zach, shut up and let Granger talk! I wasn't dragged here to listen to you--"</p><p>"You can't tell me what to do anymore, Cordelia," Zach's head snapped in her direction. "We've broken up, remember?"</p><p>"And you cheated on her, remember?" Winnie hissed, standing up and crossing her arms over her chest aggressively as Zacharias's face paled and Ernie Macmillan shot a glare at him. "Now, do us all a favor and shut your mouth before I hex you!" She sat back down, crossed her legs, took a long swig of butterbeer, and then focused her attention back on Granger as Zach stood there, dumbfounded. Cordelia gave her an odd look that sat somewhere in between an appreciative smile and an annoyed, 'why would you say that' glare.</p><p>"Look," Granger said, intervening swiftly and giving her a look, "That's not really what this is supposed to be about--"</p><p>"It's okay, Hermione," said Potter, now getting to his feet. His eyes fell upon Cordelia's face for a moment (her cheeks warmed slightly at this) before setting on Zach's, staring at him so intently that the blond (who was taller than he was) seemed to cower under his faze. "What makes me say You-Know-Who's back? I saw him But Dumbledore told the whole school what happened last year, and if you don't believe him, you don't believe me, and I'm not wasting a Saturday trying to convince anyone."</p><p>Cordelia could see his hand trembling as the whole group fell so silent that one could clearly hear a pin drop. Cedric Diggory, who was sitting to Potter's left, had suddenly gone a deathly white at the mention of the man (was he really a man? She had seen him and he definitely didn't look like one) who had injured him so badly that he was on the verge of death. She felt pity for him, watching the blood drain from his face-- he had been so carefree and happy just a year before. What could have happened in that maze (or graveyard?) that was so terrible it made him look like a ghost every time someone mentioned the Triwizard Tournament?</p><p>Zach spoke up again, his eyes not leaving Potter's face and lingering for a moment on the lightning bolt scar. "All Dumbledore told us last year was that Cedric's injuries--" he cast a look at the older boy, who was watching him with a look she could not figure out, "were caused by You-Know-Who and that you brought him back to Hogwarts. He didn't give us any details, he didn't tell us exactly how it happened, and I think we'd all like to know--"</p><p>Potter interrupted him, much to Cordelia's delight: she was getting quite irritated with her ex-boyfriend's temper and the way he needed to know every little detail. That was something that often got them into fights when they were still together, and, if she was being honest, she was glad to have that aspect out of her life. "If you've come to hear exactly what it looks like when Voldemort tries to kill someone, then I can't help you," he said, clearly annoyed, but his green eyes didn't leave Zacharias's face. "I don't want to talk about it, okay? So if that's what you're here for, you might as well clear out."</p><p>Cordelia expected for a few people to come to their senses and exit the pub, but, to her surprise, no one budged-- in fact, not a single person even bothered to shift in their seat; they were too enthralled by Harry Potter (and, not that she would admit it, but so was she).</p><p>"So," said Granger, her voice lacking the confidence it had previously had, "Like I was saying... if you want to learn some defense, then we need to work out how we're going to do it, and where--"</p><p>"Is it true," interrupted Susan Bones, making Granger shoot her a look of dismay. "That you can produce a Patronus?"</p><p>Cordelia's mouth fell open in shock as the others in the room murmured in interest. She leaned over to whisper to Winnie, "He can produce a Patronus?"</p><p>"Yeah," she whispered back as Potter rubbed his neck sheepishly and gave a weak nod in reply to Susan's question. "Hermione told me."</p><p>"A corporeal Patronus?" Susan asked, swinging her long braid over her shoulder.</p><p>"Er-- you don't know Madam Bones, do you?"</p><p>"She's my auntie," the Hufflepuff answered, her eyes sparkling. "She told me you can make a stag Patronus?"</p><p>"Yes," said Potter. Cordelia thought he seemed rather bored, but she, however, was entranced by the boy-- an odd feeling had emerged in the pit of her stomach, one that she hadn't felt since the first time she laid eyes on Zacharias Smith.</p><p>"Blimey, Harry!" Lee Jordan was looking deeply impressed, and so was she, although it would take the burns of a thousand fires on her skin to make her confess to it. The only stellar branch of magic she could do at the moment was Occlumency (having learned it because of her father) but she didn't think it would be any use (at least right then) and she knew that producing a Patronus could be a skill worth learning (especially if Potter was teaching it) and it would be something that could very well save her life one day-- Occlumency, however, would not. It was just her father's way of making sure no one could see their family secrets.</p><p>"Mum told Ron not to spread it around," Fred grinned at Potter. "She said you get enough attention as it is."</p><p>"She's not wrong," Potter mumbled, making a couple of people laugh and Cordelia snort, but she managed to quickly conceal it as a sneeze.</p><p>"And did you kill a basilisk with that sword in Dumbledore's office?" Terry Boot piped up. "One of the portraits on the wall told me when I was there last year."</p><p>"Er-- yeah, I did," said Harry. Justin Finch-Fletchley whistled, Zacharias and Ernie exchanged awestruck looks (not that Cordelia was watching him or anything) and Winnie said "wow" under her breath, an amazed look on her face.</p><p>"And in our first year," said Neville, sitting up straighter. "He saved that Sorcerous stone--"</p><p>"Sorcerer's," Granger hissed.</p><p>"Yes, that, from You-Know-Who!" Neville finished.</p><p>Cordelia's eyes widened slightly. Harry Potter did all that when he was eleven? And she thought she was brave at that age, after not screaming when she found a snake in her yard. But Potter fought You-Know-Who (Voldemort-- she needed to get used to the name) when he was that age! All the more reason for her to (privately) admire him.</p><p>"And that's not to mention," said Cedric, shifting in his chair. His face had partially returned to its normal color, but it was still noticeably white. "All the tasks you had to complete in the Tournament last year-- they were insanely difficult. Oh, and getting me out of that... that maze alive. I reckon I wouldn't even be here without you."</p><p>There was a murmur of an impressed agreement around the table, and Potter looked like he was fighting a mental battle. "Look," he said, making everyone fall silent. "I... I don't want to sound like I'm being modest or anything, but I had a lot of help with that stuff..."</p><p>"Not with the dragon, you didn't," said Michael Corner, gripping onto Ginny Weasley's hand. "That was a seriously cool bit of flying."</p><p>"Yeah, well--" Harry began, but Winnie interrupted him.</p><p>"And nobody helped you get rid of those dementors last summer," she said.</p><p>"No," he said. "No, okay, I know I did some of those things without help, but the point I'm trying to make is--"</p><p>"Are you trying to weasel out of showing us any of this stuff?" Zach snapped, his arms crossed over his chest. Cordelia noticed the stupid, smug, fake look of confidence he had on his face and fought the urge to burst into laughter.</p><p>"Here's an idea," said Ron Weasley loudly. "How about you shut your mouth?"</p><p>Now Cordelia giggled a little, earning a reproachful look from Zacharias. She didn't care, though. Not this time. His face had flushed a deep red, and he retorted, "Well, we've all turned up to learn from him, and now he's telling us he really can't do any of it."</p><p>"That's not what he said," Fred Weasley snarled.</p><p>"Would you like us to clean out your ears for you?" asked George innocently, pulling a long, deadly looking metal stick out of his Zonko's bag. Lee Jordan giggled silently from beside them.</p><p>"Or any part of your body, really, we're not fussy where we stick this," said Fred.</p><p>"Yes, well," said Hermione, hastily interrupting George and Fred's attempts at giving Zacharias the bad end of the stick. "Moving on... the point is, are we agreed we want to take lessons from Harry?"</p><p>The sound of a general agreement rang throughout the room. Zach said nothing and continued eyeing the large instrument (Cordelia couldn't help but wonder what that even was) in George's hands. Or Fred's. Honestly, she couldn't tell them apart. But she nodded in agreement as well, her own eyes drifting over to Potter's face, and, much to her amusement, when his green eyes met her blue ones, he immediately broke eye contact and seemed like he was trying so hard to not look at her again. Interesting.</p><p>"Right," Granger said, relief washing over her and visibly relaxing her body, "The next question is how often we do it. I really don't think there's much point in meeting less than once a week--"</p><p>"Hang on," Angelina Johnson spoke up. "We need to make sure this doesn't clash with our Quidditch practice."</p><p>"No," Cathy Chang said, twisting a lock of her black hair between her fingers. "Nor with ours."</p><p>"Or ours!" Zach added rather aggressively, making Cordelia roll her eyes and focus her attention away from the boy.</p><p>"I'm sure we can find a night that suits everyone," Granger replied, slightly impatiently, as evidenced by the way she cast a rather annoyed look in the directions of the Quidditch players. "But you know, this is rather important, we're talking about learning to defend ourselves about V-Voldemort's Death Eaters!"</p><p>She took in a breath before continuing. "We also think that the reason Umbridge doesn't want us trained in Defense Against the Dark Arts is that she's got some... some mad idea that Dumbledore could use the students in the school as a private army, and go against the Ministry."</p><p>Everyone looked stunned at the news, except for Cordelia, Winnie, and, surprisingly, Luna Lovegood, who said brightly, "Well, that makes sense. After all, Cornelius Fudge has got his own private army of heliopaths."</p><p>She and Granger argued for a moment about whether or not heliopaths really existed or not (Cordelia wouldn't be surprised if they did, but she was on Hermione Granger's side for this one) before Ginny Weasley made such a good impression of Professor Umbridge that she and a few others looked wide-eyed to the door, her stomach sinking as she thought their attempt had been thwarted before it even began. Ginny said, "Weren't we trying to decide how often we're going to meet?"</p><p>"Yes," Granger said. "You're right, you're right..."</p><p>"Once a week sounds cool," suggested Lee Jordan.</p><p>"Great!" Granger clapped her hands together in excitement. "Now, the other thing to decide is where we're going to meet."</p><p>Winnie cleared her throat. "I doubt that we would be able to use an empty classroom or the library. Madam Pince wouldn't take well to us using defensive spells and ruining her precious books, would she?"</p><p>"And us doing all that stuff in an empty classroom might be seen as a little too... rebellious, for a 'study' group," said Potter, nodding in agreement to Winnie's statement.</p><p>"Well, we'll find somewhere," Granger said. She pulled her bag into her lap and began rummaging through it, pulling out a piece of parchment and a quill. "I think everyone should write their name down, just so we know who was here. But I also think," she let out a sigh, "That we all ought to agree not to shout about what we're doing. So if you sign, you're agreeing to not tell Umbridge-- or anyone-- what we're up to."</p><p>Fred immediately reached out for the parchment and signed, George following his lead, but not everyone was as keen to put their signature down as they were. Winnie was one of the few who gladly put her name down, scrawling Winifred Bulstrode on the parchment neatly and setting the quill down beside it, lining it up neatly with the paper. Cedric Diggory went next, his hand visibly shaking as he hesitantly wrote his own name down under Winnie's.</p><p>Cordelia, like Cedric Diggory, was uncertain about placing her own name down. Her mind was a jumbled mess of wanting to do it and also not wanting to do it, trying to stay as far out of trouble as she could (she knew that if her parents found out about this, it would not be good for her, and if Umbridge found out? She would be in deep shit). She was able to think about her decision as she surveyed those signing themselves, and took in a deep breath as the only two (three including her) people who were left were Ernie and Zacharias, both looking extremely conflicted.</p><p>"I'm sure Ernie will tell me when the next meeting is, won't you, Ern?" Zach said, elbowing his friend in the shoulder.</p><p>Ernie grimaced. "I... er, we're prefects," he burst out, eyeing the parchment warily as Granger raised her eyebrows at him. "And if this list was found... you said it yourself, Hermione, if Umbridge finds out..."</p><p>"Do you really think Hermione would leave the list lying around for anyone to see?" Harry retorted, pushing his glasses up his slender nose.;</p><p>"No... no, of course not," He suddenly looked a lot less anxious. "Yeah, I will... sign...." He took the quill, scribbled his name down, and then handed it over to Zacharias, who took it and did the same.</p><p>As he wrote Zacharias Smith down on the paper, Cordelia pushed herself to the commotion, waiting beside him for him to hand her the quill (she had, ultimately, decided she was going to join: it wasn't every day when she could do something to spite her parents), startling herself when she got a whiff of his familiar scent that made her insides boil with both rage and heartbreak. She swallowed, her throat suddenly becoming very dry, and took the quill from his hands without so much as looking up at him. He cleared his throat, and said in a low voice just loud enough for her to hear, "Cordelia."</p><p>She didn't reply, she just simply wrote her name down in her messy handwriting and handed the quill back over to Granger, who took it and offered her a weak smile. It was as if the girl didn't know whether or not to like or dislike Cordelia Flint, but that didn't bother her much. What did bother her, however, was Zach's hand reaching over to grab her wrist. "Can we talk?"</p><p>The feel of his cold skin was too overwhelming for her, and she wrenched her arm out of his grasp. "Don't touch me," she spat, as Granger told everyone that the meeting was over and she would tell them when and where to meet next.</p><p>"Please, Cordelia..." he pleaded, his eyes becoming glossy-- he was always the faker, and she wasn't going to let him get his way. She turned on her heel without a goodbye (like she would say goodbye to that idiot!) and left the pub, waiting for Winnie to come out of the dirty, dusty room.</p><p>Winnie Bulstrode joined her mere seconds after she had slammed the door shut behind her, leaving Zacharias standing alone with Ernie as he picked up his belongings back inside the pub. "What was that about?" she asked, looping her free arm through Cordelia's as they walked back towards the castle.</p><p>"He wanted to talk," Cordelia said, her voice breaking a little, but not enough for Winnie to notice. The girl simply nodded.</p><p>"Do you know why?"</p><p>Cordelia shook her head. "No. And I don't care to find out, either. It's a waste of my time."</p><p>"You're right," said Winnie, readjusting her grip on the bags in her right hand. "But I did notice something, though, while we were inside."</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Harry Potter couldn't keep his eyes off you, could he?" When Cordelia looked over to her cousin after the words came out of her mouth, the eldest Bulstrode's eyes were gleaming with pure joy.</p><p>Harry Potter, staring at her? Just the thought of it made her cheeks warm with disgust (or was it desire?) and her eyes avert to the closest shop windows, having never more appreciated how beautiful the shops during this time of year.</p><p>She pretended to not see Winnie's grin of triumph.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. the slytherin scarf</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Her stolen scarf brings an enticing interaction in the kitchens.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>𝖂hen she awoke the following morning, Cordelia Flint was in good spirits. It was a surprising fact, for the previous day had been somewhat a mess-- Max's birthday wasn't something she often liked to deal with, because it made her into a person she was not. It was, simply, a day that reminded her of the worst of humanity, and it was something she'd very much like to forget.</p><p>Winnie's covert idea of distracting her from the painful memories resulted in them attending the Hog's Head meeting which, to her surprise, gave her a good time. At least, it was, until Zacharias had decided that he would like to speak with her. What could he have to say that was so important? That he was, what, sorry? He broke her heart, and she didn't want to hear bullshit excuses.</p><p>Her day had gone by relatively fast due to her mind swimming with thoughts, and by the time the sun had started to set, she was, somehow, still feeling good. It wasn't a feeling that often came for her— she knew it would eventually fade.</p><p>So, still feeling moderately happy for the first time in weeks, she was sitting in the common room cross-legged on the couch with her Potions book in hand and quill in the other as she annotated the pages. A piece of parchment lay unrolled on the table in front of her, Cordelia Flint scribbled messily on the top.</p><p>As she wrote in her book (something that she knew Madam Pince from the library would freak out over, she'd seen it happen before: a particular incident from the second year of Theodore Nott writing in his Transfiguration book and getting kicked out of the library made its way to the forefront of her mind), a body slid into the chair beside her. Whoever it threw their bag onto the table with a loud thunk, causing their belongings to spill out onto the carpeted floor and an ink bottle to smash and stain Cordelia's parchment. It dripped onto her shoes, discoloring them and making her grimace.</p><p>"Really?" She cursed under her breath. "Was that really necessary, Claire?"</p><p>"Sorry!" Claire Tamashiro waved her wand (muttering scourgify! as she did so) and the ink bottle repaired itself and her possessions flew themselves back into her book bag. "Really, Cordelia, I'm sorry! It was an accident, I swear."</p><p>Cordelia simply glowered at her friend as she tore off the top of her parchment where the ink had spilled over her name. She dipped her quill in her own ink bottle that was beside it, rewrote her name, and then set it down to look up at Claire, who had an apologetic smile on her face. "What?"</p><p>She bit her lip before speaking. "I was just wondering if--"</p><p>Oh, no, not this again. Before the words were even out of the girl's mouth, Cordelia pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a deep sigh. "If you ask me for the Defense Against the Dark Arts homework, I will strangle you."</p><p>Claire narrowed her eyes as she adjusted the Phoenix pin that was in her hair. "Well, that is totally not what I was going to ask." She cleared her throat, then added, after seeing the look on her friend's face, "Don't give me that look!"</p><p>The other girl let out a noise that sounded like an odd mix between a scoff and a laugh. "Why don't you start doing your own work for a change?"</p><p>"Because," Claire told her, as if she was lecturing a particularly dumb child who seemed to not understand anything, "I'm not interested."</p><p>Cordelia gave her a quizzical look as she shut her textbook, Magical Drafts and Potions. "Aren't you the one who wants to be an Auror?"</p><p>"Yes," she began, adjusting herself in the seat. She was wearing an odd-looking bright-pink dress that, even in its peculiar nature, complimented her nicely. Cordelia, on the other hand, was clad in a simple pair of jeans and a hoodie that she had stolen from her brother (and she was never planning on giving it back, no matter how much Marcus protested). "But, over at the Japanese Ministry of Magic, they're keener on a Charms O.W.L.''</p><p>"Oh, they do, now?"</p><p>"Yeah! I don't know why, but that's what my mum said," Claire told her. She rubbed her arms and shivered. "Bloody hell, it's cold in here. You have a jacket I can wear?"</p><p>"If you want a jacket," Cordelia probed, jabbing a finger in the direction of the girl's dormitories. "You can go grab one. It's, like, two steps away." She focused her attention back onto the table, where her essay lay unfinished under the dim light of the light fixture above them.</p><p>"But--"</p><p>"I would recommend you listen to her, Clairo," said a voice, and Cordelia glanced up to see Theodore Nott walking over in their direction, his book bag open and hanging over his shoulder. His hair was unkempt, quite unlike his usual neat hairstyle, and he seemed awfully tired. She didn't have time to remark on this because he spoke, "You don't want to get on her bad side, she'll knock you right unconscious!"</p><p>"Believe me," Claire said, not bothering to conceal her annoyed expression as she shot Cordelia an exasperated look. "I know what she's like when she's upset! Don't you remember when I said that Marcus looked like a pig and she hit me across the head with her Charms book? I had a bloody lump on my head for a week."</p><p>"Serves you right," Cordelia huffed, leaning back against the seat. "What's up, Theo? You look tired."</p><p>He sat down across from them, setting his back gently down on the floor beside him (she wished Claire had done the same... the ink was still on her shoe and, unfortunately, she was still trying to learn the spell that Claire had used on her parchment to remove the ink. She was just going to have to deal with it for now. Bloody Claire). "I... had a long night."</p><p>Before she even looked to the girl beside her, Cordelia already knew that there would be a smirk forming on Claire Tamashiro's face-- and she was right (this just proved her point that she was never wrong-- she couldn't wait to rub this in her face). Claire's lips had curled into a wry but voluptuous smile and her eyebrows were raised in a way that suggested that Theo had been involved in some, well, suggestive things the night prior.</p><p>Cordelia, on the other hand, knew not to think of him that way. Although his reputation as a 'player' could be brought into the argument (if there was one, of course), she knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't do anything with anyone unless he really, really liked them. He wasn't a casanova like other boys (she didn't want to name names, but... Draco Malfoy), and she was perfectly okay with that. Shooting a look at Claire, she asked, "Where were you, anyway? You missed dinner last night. And tonight."</p><p>"I just wasn't up to it," he said simply, putting his arms behind his back and leaning back against the chair. "Not hungry."</p><p>Claire snorted and suppressed a giggle. "You, not hungry? I can hardly believe it. In fact, I don't!"</p><p>"Claire, shut up, won't you?" Cordelia told the girl as she crossed her legs, setting her Magical Drafts and Potions textbook beside her quill and parchment on the table in front of her. "Anyways. Theo, you good?"</p><p>"What makes you think I'm not?" His tone was questioning, but there was an obvious undertone of annoyance. His eyes bore into hers as she watched him, wishing that she could read her best friend's mind. Ultimately, she had never been a good Legilimens (not that she would ever want to be, she didn't want to be like her godfather), so nothing came of it.</p><p>"I haven't seen you all day. Not at breakfast, not at lunch, not at dinner, and you just show up now? A little odd, if you ask me," She examined her small hands. "If something's wrong, just fucking tell us so we can help. Right, Claire?"</p><p>She had just looked over to where Claire was seated, but the girl in the pink dress was not listening in the slightest-- she was in a silent laughing fit as she watched Draco Malfoy, who was standing on the opposite end of the room, in an extremely animated conversation with Pansy Parkinson who looked like she was just about reduced to tears. She pursed her lips and turned back to Theo, who was smiling to himself at the sight of her annoyance.</p><p>"They're fighting again, huh?" he asked, nodding in the direction of the couple (Pansy was now crying and Draco was looking so frustrated that his cheeks were a bright pink). "What are they gonna do, break up and get back together again?"</p><p>"Wouldn't be surprised," Cordelia said. "How many times have they done that? Three, now, right?"</p><p>"Yep," replied Theo, now returning his attention back to his friends. Claire, whose eyes were watering so much from her laughter (Cordelia didn't know why she was laughing-- Draco and Pansy fought so often it wasn't laughable anymore), did the same, but her eyes were still glazed over with her usual look of being unfocused. "Hey, I have a question."</p><p>"Hm?" Cordelia reached for the bottle of water that was in her bag and took a large sip.</p><p>"What's going on with you and Potter?" His voice was quiet, but loud enough for her to be stunned. She choked on the water that was just running down her throat.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"What going on with you and--"</p><p>"No, I heard you!" She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Her heart was suddenly beating at light speed, and Theo seemed to notice because he let out a low chuckle as she sat there, flustered. "You don't need to be so loud!"</p><p>"I wasn't-- I literally whispered--" He started, but Cordelia cut him off.</p><p>"Shhhh! If they hear--"</p><p>"Did you say, Potter?" Claire asked loudly, causing several heads in the vicinity to turn-- including Draco Malfoy, whose interest had suddenly peaked. Pansy ran off in the direction of her dormitory, crying harder than ever, and Daphne Greengrass (who had been sitting with Blaise Zabini in the far corner of the room) had perked up like a puppy who saw her favorite treat. None of them joined the three of them in their huddle around the table, but Cordelia could tell they were all listening. Merlin.</p><p>"It's nothing! He just..." she cleared her throat, mind racing to think of an excuse as to why Theo would have mentioned him. "... let me borrow a quill in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"</p><p>Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco's eyes narrow, because it had, in fact, been him who let her borrow the quill (and, what a coincidence, it was the one she was using now). Theo and Claire nodded, but they both had drastically different expressions on their faces-- Claire looked convinced, but Theo, having known her for nearly all his life, gave her a look that certainly signified that he knew the truth.</p><p>"Oh, Merlin," she began to pat herself down as if she was missing something (she was, in fact, not missing anything: she just needed an excuse to get out of there before she was interrogated by Draco Malfoy and his goons, and away from Theo's condescending stare). "I think Winnie still has my... scarf. I'm going to go get it. Be right back!"</p><p>And she was grabbing her things and running out of the common room, much to the surprise of Claire, Theo, and those who had been listening in-- as she had turned out of sight, she heard Theo say, "I think I ticked a nerve, didn't I?" And she swore she could hear Claire roll her eyes.</p><p>Her footsteps echoed in the corridor, loud and clear for all to hear. She trudged up the steps leading down to the dungeons, and once she had finally made it up to the first floor, she found herself walking in the direction of the Ravenclaw tower. Winnie really did have her scarf, but she wasn't that pressed about whether or not she got it back. But if she returned to the Slytherin common room without her scarf, Theodore would get suspicious, and when he got suspicious, he got curious, which usually led him out to find the truth. And she did not want him to find out about her little crush on Potter.</p><p>Was it a crush, though? Cordelia had barely spoken to him, save for the time in the third year when she snapped at him for accidentally knocking her cauldron over and spilling its contents onto the floor during Potions. And the time that she had accidentally run into him on the train a few months ago.</p><p>Winnie seemed to think she was head over heels for Harry Potter. It wasn't like that, though-- yes, one could say she was rather attracted to the bespectacled boy (his eyes were her favorite thing about him), but she was still recovering from her heart being broken like a piece of china. She was fragile, and she wasn't going to throw herself into the arms of another boy just to get over another. That simply wasn't her.</p><p>When she made it in front of the entrance to the Gryffindor common room (she was only able to get there because she had walked Winnie back countless times), she stood in front of the Fat Lady, trying to think of what the bloody password could be. </p><p>"Password?" asked the Fat Lady in her sing-song voice.</p><p>"Um, I'm just looking for my cousin, can you let me in for a moment?" She asked, hoping the portrait would just let her in, but she shook her head. </p><p>"Sorry, I can't let you in without a password."</p><p>"Oh, fuck this." Cordelia muttered under her breath, ignoring the Fat Lady's gasp at her profanity. She stared at the woman in the frame, racking her brains to try and think of the answer, but it wasn't even on the tip of her tongue. In fact, it felt like it was all the way at the bottom of her shoes-- she was that far from understanding what the bloody answer could be. She said warily, crossing her arms in irritation, "Um, fairy lights?"</p><p>"Incorrect."</p><p>"Fuck!" She started to pace back and forth in front of the door, her mind still working at a speed she nearly never used. This is why the sorting hat had decided Slytherin for her instead of Ravenclaw. "What is the bloody password?"</p><p>"Cordelia?" asked a soft voice from behind her, and she turned to Hermione Granger clutching a stack of books in her arms. Cordelia exhaled, relieved. </p><p>"Oh, hi," Cordelia breathed. She stopped pacing. "I'm just trying to see if Winnie is inside, do you mind checking?"</p><p>"Oh, she's not inside," said Granger, a neutral expression on her face. Cordelia didn't often like the girl, but she felt oddly comforted by her voice and her presence. "Last I saw her she was downstairs."</p><p>Where downstairs? This was getting very, very frustrating, but before she could retort, Granger replied, "I saw Winnie tickling the pear. She's probably in the kitchens."</p><p>Of course, she's in the kitchens... her cousin practically lived there at this point. She started off in the direction of it, and as she left, she said to the girl, "Thanks, Granger."</p><p>"Hermione." Granger corrected. She said 'Balderdash' to the portrait, and it swung open, and before Cordelia knew it, Hermione Granger was in the common room and the Fat Lady was swinging shut, blocking the bushy-haired girl from view. </p><p>The kitchens were, thankfully, not far. So she sped off towards them, hoping that she had her stupid scarf with her. Her footsteps echoed more in the dark corridor, and she passed a few familiar faces walking them, back to their respective common rooms before curfew (which was, when Cordelia checked her watch, in about an hour).</p><p>When she reached the pear, she tickled it, and the door swung open. The kitchen was bustling with house elves and, seeing that someone had entered, came rushing towards her. She was ambushed by them, but she didn't mind it: to her, house-elves were special creatures. She had one at home, one called Jiminy, who was so very sweet. "Can Bonky get Miss anything?"</p><p>"Oh, no, thank you," she told the little house-elf, Bonky, who simply bowed and let her continue on her way. She nodded back at him as he sped away, and when she turned her head, she saw Winnie, taking something out of a large, brick oven, with the help of someone else.</p><p>And that someone else was Harry Potter, and he had caught sight of her. He dropped the pan that was holding their odd-looking meal, but Cordelia was quick-- she whipped out her wand, muttered Wingardium Leviosa, and the board hovered a few feet off the ground, and Winnie jumped. She hadn't been expecting that to happen, and when she laid eyes on her cousin, the girl was quick to smile.</p><p>"Cordelia! Come join us!"</p><p>"Oh," Cordelia said, shaking her head and walking towards them. "No, thanks, I already ate--"</p><p>"No, I insist. You've got to try this." Winnie sliced up the weird-looking thing on the tray (it looked like dough piled with sauce, cheese, and pepperoni, an odd combination in Cordelia's opinion)."It's called pizza."</p><p>"Pizza?"</p><p>"It's a muggle food," said Potter, reaching over and picking up a plate from Cordelia's other side. Winnie placed the piece of 'pizza', which was apparently what the thing was called, onto the plate. Potter handed it over to her. "It's good. I like mine with mushrooms, but Winnie hates it. We've opted out of putting it on it, now."</p><p>"You don't like mushrooms?" Cordelia raised an eyebrow at her cousin, who was looking disgusted at the mention of the fungi. "How odd." She took a bite (a small one-- she had just eaten dinner and didn't feel like over eating) and immediately her mouth was filled with the combination that she was extremely satisfied with. Before she knew it she had eaten the whole piece. "Bloody hell, that's good!"</p><p>"Right! I can't believe we've never tried it before!" Winnie's voice was full of glee as she spoke, and then she turned to Potter. "What else is there for us to try?"</p><p>"Well, there's--" he began, but Cordelia cut him off. She pretended to be too engrossed in what she had come to see Winnie for so that her body would be distracted enough to not allow her to stutter or for her face to warm in a blush.</p><p>"Do you have my scarf?"</p><p>"Why would I have your scarf?" Winnie asked, tugging at the very scarf they were talking about that was hanging around her neck. Cordelia narrowed her blue eyes as she took a bite of pizza. "I'm not a Slytherin!"</p><p>"Haha, very funny," she said. "I need it back."</p><p>"Winnie, give it back," said Potter, assuming the blonde had stolen it (which, in fact, she had!). </p><p>"Thanks, Potter, but I can handle this myself," she told him, giving him a look. He didn't back down, though, simply watched her for a moment before turning his attention back to his friend. This had given her a small bout of butterflies in her stomach that she ignored.</p><p>"I have a name," said Potter, now tugging also on the scarf around Winnie's neck. She fought for a moment but eventually allowed him to take it off her. He handed it over to Cordelia, and when he placed it in her open palms, his hand brushed hers and she shivered. It went unnoticed. "It's Harry. Call me that."</p><p>"Harry," The name sounded foreign in her mouth, but she conceded to it anyway. "Harry. I like Potter better, but, well, if you'd rather be called that, then so be it." She looked at him for just a fraction of a second too long, for his eyes were watching her so carefully that she got overwhelmed. Clearing her throat, she said, "Well, um, I guess muggle food isn't so bad, is it?"</p><p>"Not at all," Harry replied, a small smile appearing on his features.</p><p>Cordelia averted eye contact and looked over to Winnie who was eating her second slice-- her eyes, sparkling, were darting between the two in a way that suggested that she was enjoying every moment of their interaction. She gave her a look that said, loud and clear: don't even think about it.</p><p>Her head was racing-- she didn't remember saying goodbye to the two (the only thing her mind seemed to focus on was how Harry had said goodbye); she barely registered herself walking back to the common room; she didn't notice how she ended up in her dormitory, on her bed, surrounded by the giggling girls of her dorm. Her brain was occupied, and for that she was glad.</p><p>Cordelia swore she could hear Winnie's giggles before her eyes closed later when she was laying back in bed, finally in her area of comfort. It wasn't Winnie Bulstrode's grin of jubilation hat she dreamed about that night, nor was it the curious face of Theodore Nott and his many, many questions or a nightmare of Zacharias Smith tearing her apart all over again.</p><p>Her dreams were laced with the emerald green eyes that never failed to render her speechless.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. poor marks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A nightmare threatens to disrupt her day, which includes a mishap in Potions.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>𝕿he silence was deafening.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>The only thing she was able to hear was her own ragged breathing and the loud thumping of her heart in her chest as she stared down at the pearly-white tile floor, the cleanliness of which was now tainted with the scarlet blood of the boy lying face down.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Stumbling backward, Cordelia gripped onto the wall with her left hand to steady herself. She had suddenly felt very faint, her head spinning and acid creeping up her throat.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>When she finally regained her balance, she started to run towards the staircase to her second floor, where she would be safe in her bedroom. She heard a crashing noise down below and she quickened her feet, bolting faster up the stairs. Then the sound of footsteps and someone running began to follow her, and her breath suddenly came in short, disorderly spurts as she struggled to catch her breath.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She was almost to the door, her hand outstretched to reach the doorknob when her whole body became rigid like a plank, and she tumbled to the ground, hitting her head on the stone floor. Stars swam in her vision, temporarily making her blind as the cold voice of a man she knew too well spoke, the emotion completely drained out of him.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"What did you see?" He asked her. There was not even a grain of remorse in his voice, and that is what hurt the most.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>She couldn't answer-- the spell that was keeping her bound didn't allow for it. He muttered something, a spell that she knew too well, and suddenly the vision of what had happened just moments prior forced itself to the forefront of her mind. Instead of seeing black, they appeared like she was standing there all over again.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>But as soon as they started, they stopped.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"That will be all."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>His footsteps echoed down the hall as he left, leaving Cordelia lying alone on the cold floor in the body-bind curse--<em></em></em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Her eyes flew open, and she saw that she wasn't again on the floor, but in her four-poster bed. Her heart was still beating erratically as if she had seen the events firsthand, but in that moment she knew it was a nightmare.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Bringing a hand to her face, she found that it was wet with tears. The tears she wasn't able to cry in the nightmare. She blinked, and she laid eyes on Daphne Greengrass who was sitting upright in her bed, watching her with a concerned expression on her face. Pansy, who had always been a very heavy sleeper, was still fast asleep in her own bed, barely identifiable save for the lump under her covers.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Are you alright?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Daphne's voice was soft and soothing, a tone she had never heard come out of the girl's mouth. If she was being honest, she had never really heard any tone-- they didn't often have conversations, even before their interaction in the courtyard. She nodded warily, still dazed and confused. Cordelia had hoped her nightmare would have stayed unnoticed, but alas, it hadn't.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"You were yelling."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"I was?" She tried to keep her voice calm, but it shook nonetheless.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Daphne nodded and picked at the sleeve of her nightgown, a sympathetic smile on her face. "It wasn't intelligible, but you seemed scared. Are you sure you're alright?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Yes!" Cordelia said immediately. She winced, realizing that she had spoken much too quickly, but, if Daphne had noticed, she didn't react. She cleared her throat. "I mean, yes. I'm fine. Everything's fine."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Overkill, Cordelia, her thoughts raged in her head, pounding in her head like a persistent headache. She groaned and fell back against the pillow, covering her eyes with her hands. She laid there for a moment, breathing heavily as if she was trying to catch her breath after she truly did run up those stairs, and once she calmed down, she let her arms fall to her sides.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She was staring at the ceiling when she asked, her voice groggy, "What time is it?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She heard shuffling on Daphne's side of the room as she searched for her watch. The clock on their wall had broken the night previously for reasons unknown and they had all been too tired to repair it themselves.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"It's... um, quarter-till-six," the girl said, and Cordelia saw her out of the corner of her eye lay back down onto her pillow after setting the watch back down on her bedside table. "Too bloody early."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>It wasn't even six in the morning. "Claire?" She asked, her voice quiet as to not wake Pansy, hoping to get a response out of her best friend, but the louder girl did not make a peep. She let out a sigh. "Early morning Quidditch practice?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Daphne yawned and pulled the covers up over her chest. "Probably."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Cordelia didn't respond. Her body began to shiver with the sudden rush of cold air that hit her skin and she wrapped herself tightly with the covers, flipping her pillow over so the cold side would be where she rested her head. She focused back on the ceiling, trying to keep herself from diving back in and revisiting the nightmare.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Just the thought of it made her heart thump louder and her breathing quicken. The nightmare, after all, had been a real experience-- it wasn't at all something her subconscious had created to scare her. It was real, and the memories had begun to seep into her state of serenity, the only place she had felt safe, the only place where reality couldn't break her.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She had put up a wall to protect her mind from the laceration, but the foundations of peace and tranquility were cracking-- everything would soon fade into nothingness, and she would be left to fend for herself.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>▬▬▬▬</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Cordelia's head pounded as she and her fellow Slytherins through the dungeon corridor, feeling slightly ill. She hadn't been able to sleep since she woke up from her nightmare that morning, and she hadn't had much of an appetite, either, prompting her to skip breakfast to try and get more rest. Now, however, her stomach grumbled as it protested her fast. Her stomach needed to make up its mind-- she wouldn't be surprised if her appetite was gone again within the hour.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Pansy and Draco were walking on opposite ends of the group, both looking extremely forlorn. Draco had a scowl etched upon his face and Pansy had her arms folded tightly over her chest and her eyes were blotchy and red as if she had been crying. Cordelia wondered briefly if they had broken up as they stood in the queue outside the Potions classroom.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Theo appeared at her side.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Good morning to you, too," he said gruffly, remarking on the fact that she hadn't appeared in the Great Hall that morning. "Slept well?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He seemed to notice the dark circles under her eyes. "Fine," she told him. "I slept fine."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"You did, huh?" Theo raised a dark eyebrow as his eyes bored into hers as if they were searching for something. She broke eye contact to glance in Draco's direction-- he was still sulking, but he was now talking to Blaise Zabini. His cheeks were flushed slightly pink, which was very noticeable on his pale (almost stark white) skin.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Yeah, I did," She replied, wiping her now sweating palms on her robes. She quickly changed the subject, not wanting to explain why she had ditched the first meal of the day. "Do y'know why Pansy and Draco are acting strange? Usually, they're forcing themselves down each other's throats, and now they're... well, see for yourself."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Theo snorted, and a real grin bloomed on Cordelia's lips. "I heard Draco talking about it with Goyle, super early this morning," he answered, now looking over to Pansy who seemed about ready to burst into tears at any given moment. He lowered his voice so as to not attract any eavesdroppers: "They broke up, apparently. Something to do with Draco and the way he looks at another girl, I suppose. Didn't say who."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Footsteps started to echo down on the other side of the dungeon, signaling the arrival of the Gryffindors. She groaned inwardly, not wanting to see any of their faces. But, in the back of her mind, a small voice echoed quietly: Harry Potter is coming! She had to pretend that it wasn't there to keep her cool. She wasn't going to let him distract her.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"That's odd," she reckoned, turning her back on the approaching lions. She briefly caught sight of Potter (Harry, her mind screamed) talking animatedly with his group of friends. "Wanna bet they'll be back together by the end of the week?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"I doubt it," Theo sighed, moving closer to Cordelia to let Claire into the line (the girl had just come bolting down the stairs and into the dungeon: this was a frequent occurrence-- the two had grown accustomed to Claire Tamashiro being just on time and knew not to ask where she had been) just as the dungeon door swung open, revealing Professor Severus Snape and his greasy, black hair and hooked nose.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Cordelia's godfather pursed his lips. "Inside, all of you."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>They filed into the classroom and moved to sit in their usual seats. As Cordelia sat down at the table beside Theo, as they always did, a shock to her backside made her jump up with a yelp. Looking around, she saw that the majority of the class had a shocked expression on their face after the same thing happened with them.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"You are all," Snape drawled, moving to stand in front of the chalkboard, "To be assigned new partners. You will wait to be seated until I tell you your partner and where you will sit."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>A groan of displeasure erupted around the room, more pronounced on the side where the Gryffindor's were huddled. It seemed like they were itching to not be with the snakes, but, alas, Cordelia knew it was inevitable. She just hoped she wouldn't get Weasley or Potter (Harry!), or, even worse, Longbottom. He had a tendency to make Potions fail within the first couple of seconds of brewing.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Let's see..." said Snape, watching them with an eager glint in his black eyes, like he was keen on making them miserable. His eyes landed on Pansy first, who's eyes were still shining with tears as she stared daggers at the back of Draco's head. "Parkinson, please go sit in the back of the room with Mr. Weasley."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Ron Weasley's mouth fell open in shock and Pansy froze, suddenly as still as a statue. "You can't pair me with her!" He choked, pointing at Pansy. Pansy nodded her head in agreement, but Snape simply gave them a cold smile.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Would you like detention, Weasley?" He ordered, a stern look on his face. It was obvious he was enjoying this.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"No, but--" Weasley started, but Snape held up a palm to silence him.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Then sit where I told you, with Miss Parkinson," he said calmly, gesturing to the table. "Do not argue with me, Mr. Weasley."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Weasley's ears turned a bright red and Pansy narrowed her eyes at the Potions master, reluctantly making her way to the back of the classroom along with the red-haired boy. When they sat beside each other, they made sure to be as far away from each other as they could manage.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Now..." Snape jeered, his eyes lingering on Cordelia and where she stood with Theo and Claire. "Tamashiro, you're with Mr. Malfoy, sit with Mr. Weasley and Ms. Parkinson at the back table."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Cordelia's mouth fell open as Pansy let out a little shriek of horror and Draco's eyes widened-- it sure looked like they weren't on good terms. Not wanting to get on Severus Snape's bad side, he and Claire walked over to the fuming Gryffindor and the now-crying pug-faced girl. Claire grimaced as she sat down on Pansy's other side while Draco sat beside Ron Weasley, who was positively fuming.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She glanced over to Theo, who shrugged his shoulders.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Snape continued to give out partners, and when it came to her, she was sure she would be paired with Theo-- but, when Snape gave the word, she was surprised to hear her name followed by that of Harry Potter.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Ms. Flint and Mr. Potter, sit over there--" He gestured to a table in the middle of the room, and Cordelia cursed inwardly. She looked over to Harry Potter, and he gave her a small smile as he sat down at the table. Giving a look to Theo, who waggled his eyebrows suggestively, she sat down beside the bespectacled boy. "-- and then we can begin."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>He tapped his wand sharply on the chalkboard and a set of instructions appeared: they would be working with the Invigoration Draught. Cordelia scanned over them a few times, making a note of the ingredients, and then stood up to go fetch them, with Theo following.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>As she collected the Peppermint into a small bowl, Theo muttered, "We're going to fail this potion. I swear on Merlin's saggy left--"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Don't even," she snapped, now adding in the dried Billywig stings. Her hands were shaken and she nearly dropped the bowl to the floor. "Harry's not that bad."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Fuck. She called him Harry. She hoped that Theo wouldn't notice the slip-up, but sure enough he had heard it and again gave her a suggestive look. "On a first name basis now, are you?" He said, pulling a bottle of infusion of wormwood off the shelf and nestling it in the crook of his arms. "Interesting development."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She stuck her tongue out at him, also taking down a bottle of infusion of wormwood off the shelf. She narrowed her eyes and whispered loudly, "If you make any sort of comment about this arrangement, I will not hesitate to break your neck--"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Ms. Flint," Snape droned from his place at the desk, his hands clasped together. "Would you like me to tell your dear father about your threats of murder? Or will you carry on with the task at hand so I don't have to go through the trouble?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Her face warmed and Pansy, through her tears of anger, barked out a little laugh. Cordelia whipped around to give her a glare, saying in the calmest voice she could muster, "No, professor. I'll behave myself."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Snape nodded. "That's what I thought." He returned his attention to the paperwork in front of him, picking up his quill and dipping it into the inkwell.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>When she returned to the table beside Harry with a scowl on her face, he opened his book to the page assigned in their textbook without saying a word. She and Theo shared a look while Daphne simply watched, perplexed, as the two exchanged their knowing glances as the class went on.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She was stirring the potion when Theo cleared his throat awkwardly. "How's your hand, Potter?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Harry put his bandaged hand under the table so fast that he hit it on its underside. Wincing, he said, obviously trying to mask his surprise at being spoken to by Theo, "Erm, fine. It's healing."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Theo nodded and gave Cordelia another look. She stifled a laugh before saying, "You still have detention with her, then?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Harry nodded and continued chopping his scurvy grass. "Every day until Friday, now. I reckon she hates me."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Cordelia snorted but managed to turn it into a cough before it became noticeable. Daphne's face was pink with suppressed giggles as the blue-eyed girl across from her tipped a vial of the infusion of wormwood into her cauldron and watched it bubble. "She hates everyone at this point."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Harry simply nodded and an awkward silence fell over the four of them like a heavy blanket, scratchy and uncomfortably warm as they continued to brew their Invigoration Draught. Cordelia's hair started to frizz and Harry's glasses began to fog due to the heat in the room.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>After a few solid minutes of quiet (with the distant arguing of Pansy, Weasley, and Draco with Claire in the background trying to keep them all on task), Harry cleared his throat. "So, um, did Winnie end up stealing your scarf again?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Daphne perked up at this as she chopped her Vervain infusion. Theo had unfortunately chosen this precise moment to take a drink of the water he had in his bag— he choked, spitting water all over himself and accidentally getting some into his potion, which began to fizz uncontrollably.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Theo! You dolt! We're going to get a bad grade on this!" Daphne hissed, stirring the Potion defensively.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Cordelia and Harry exchanged a look as Theo wiped his mouth and began apologizing, many of his words became drowned out as the potion started rising, rising so much that it began to spill over the top of the cauldron.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Fuck!" Theo grunted, throwing in some Peppermint, but that only made it worse— the texture suddenly changed into what seemed like tar, now oozing over the side of the table.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Nott, language!" Snape yelled, not bothering to look up from his desk.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Sorry, Professor!" Theo said, now very panicked, as he waved his wand to use the cleaning spell: but Daphne, in her attempts to fix it, had tossed her Vervain infusion into the tar-like substance, but lost her balance and tripped, sending Theo backward out of his chair and onto the floor.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Then the potion exploded.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Harry raised his arms to shield himself from the burst of the potion (if it could even be called that anymore) and Cordelia ducked under the table— big mistake: she had let it slip her mind that it had been seeping over the edge, and she found herself a dumpsite for the remainder of the potion that had been left on the table.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>When the commotion had finally calmed, she stood up, the tar-like potion in her hair smelling like acid. She wrinkled her nose.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"To answer your question, Harry," she said, waving her wand above her head so that the Potion that had become matted in her hair disappeared, "She did take my scarf again."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Harry laughed, and Cordelia found herself smiling.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Poor marks for this one, Nott, Greengrass," Snape's deep voice drawled, now walking over to them, his cloak billowing behind him. "Next time, I recommend you don't drink water."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"I would also recommend," said Cordelia under her breath to Harry as Snape vanished Theo and Daphne's potion, "That you not mention Winnie in front of him during class time."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>"Why?"</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>She had to think about it for a minute, not wanting to say anything misleading. "You could say that it's a sore subject for him."</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>As Harry adjusted his glasses and grinned, she did not realize how correct she was about what she had just said.</em>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <em>Winifred Bulstrode was, in fact, the sorest of subjects for Theodore Fucking Nott.</em>
  </em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. dumbledore's army</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Dumbledore's Army assemble!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>That evening came quicker than Cordelia could've anticipated. Time seemed to be just a noise in the background when she sat, again in the dorms, trying to comfort a sobbing Pansy Parkinson, snapping at Millicent Bulstrode when she kept making snarky comments about the Draco/Pansy situation, and Daphne Greengrass's questions on the Arithmancy homework. And, not to mention, her eyes were drooping at just five o'clock-- the nightmare from earlier that morning had not allowed sleep to greet her.</p><p>So, by the time she sat down at the Slytherin table in her usual spot beside Theo, a couple of seats down from her brother, she was absolutely fucking exhausted (and she swore she could still smell the putrid stench of the very messed up Invigoration Draught on her hair).</p><p>"What's got your knickers in a twist?" Claire commented from the seat across from her. The girl's hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail that had clearly been punished by the wind, as evidenced by the fly-aways that framed her face. She had probably been down on the Quidditch pitch (again, for the second time in one day! Cordelia didn't know how she handled it).</p><p>Well, she supposed it was a good thing because Claire Tamashiro kicked arse on the field. She would win them the cup, one day.</p><p>"Oh, nothing," Cordelia said, blinking away the blurriness in her eyes. If she was being honest, all she wanted to was curl into a ball and drift off into her dream world. "Just a hectic day."</p><p>"Mmm, I can attest to that," said Theo, his mouth full of shepherd's pie. "Snape gave me detention."</p><p>Claire giggled. "The Potions classroom smelt so bad, Theo, no wonder you got detention."</p><p>Cordelia pinched the bridge of her nose. "Next time please drink water before class. Me and Harry's potion could've gotten ruined, and I'm not trying to fail!" She took a bite of a dinner roll, savoring the flavor in her mouth as she chewed before swallowing. "And, besides, you said it was going to be a disaster. You brought this upon yourself."</p><p>"I did not!" Theo retorted.</p><p>"You did too! You literally said--"</p><p>"Okay, okay," Claire interrupted the two, holding up her palms. "We get it, Snape is a bitch."</p><p>Cordelia laughed. "You're not wrong."</p><p>Theo rolled his eyes, nodding his head as he did so. He seemed lost in thought for a moment, his mossy green eyes glazing over as he seemed to be recounting a memory. "It didn't help that I got paired with Winnie for herbology."</p><p>She sipped her water, a small smile on her face. About time something was being done to get the two closest people in her life together. But, Winnie being Winnie, she knew that she would find any way she could to wriggle out of it. Nonetheless, it could be a good thing, right? "Well, that's not so bad, is it?"</p><p>Theo grimaced and set down his fork. "Well, it's not the most ideal situation, I'll tell you that. Don't get me wrong, I love her--" (Cordelia couldn't help but think this was the truth-- when Theodore Nott falls for someone, he falls hard. And this was evidenced in the way he just looks at Winifred) "--but she's always changing her mind on whether or not she hates me. And today she's decided that I'm the scum of the earth!"</p><p>Cordelia pursed her lips. "She's stubborn," she told him, poking at the sprouts on her plate. "Don't be too worried about it. She just has her... ways."</p><p>"It's irritating, sometimes, if I'm being honest." He dipped his head. "I don't mean that in a bad way. I bet you get what I mean, Cor."</p><p>Cordelia let out a laugh, taking a bite of her roast potatoes. "You, saying Winifred Bulstrode is irritating? That's a first."</p><p>Theo just shrugged his shoulders as his eyes flashed with sadness. "I know, I just feel like--"</p><p>"Well, speak of the devil," Claire interrupted, muttering under her breath as she gestured lightly in the direction of the Gryffindor table. The familiar blonde was striding over to them, glancing over to Marcus before stopping in front of them. She was twisting the silver ring on her finger nervously as she bit her lip. She was pale (she was always pale, but she seemed as white as a sheet), making Cordelia nervous. She stared up at her cousin with raised eyebrows, curious but also worried. She didn't say anything, though.</p><p>Winnie leaned over to whisper something in her ear. "First meeting is tomorrow at eight, meet me here and we'll go together." Then, without waiting for a reply, she turned on her heel.</p><p>It didn't take an army to know what she was talking about. The defense club meeting. A bout of butterflies began to fly in her stomach, feeling hesitant to defy her professors (but, considering it was Umbridge, she was fine with it: the butterflies settled, and she no longer felt a sense of worry). She watched as Winnie went to walk away, but Theo cleared his throat.</p><p>"You know," he said, and Winnie's eyes widened. The air around them was tense. Theo's previous comment about her 'changing her mind' about him stuck out to her now. "I read somewhere that camisole tea helps with anxiety and nerves. Interesting, isn't it?"</p><p>Winnie opened her mouth to reply, paused for a split second, and then said, looking him directly in the eye, "Interesting indeed." Subsequently, she took off, not muttering another word to her cousin who watched her leave with curious eyes. She expected her to go back to her House table, but instead of moving to the Gryffindor side where Lavendar and Parvati (she knew now it wasn't Padma, after finding out the twin was in Ravenclaw) were waiting for her, she approached Marcus.</p><p>Marcus, of all people! Cordelia was well aware that the two barely spoke. It was like they had a mutual agreement to pretend the other didn't exist. They abandoned it for small talk at their family Christmas parties or other events where family was concerned, but at school, they just didn't acknowledge the existence of the other. So, when she muttered something and he excused himself from the table to walk with her out of the Great Hall, her mind working vigorously to understand what was going on. Something was off here.</p><p>"What was that about?" Claire questioned, looking from Cordelia to Theo and back as she pulled a piece of garlic bread off a plate at the center of the table.</p><p>"Nothing!" They both said at the same time, so quickly that Claire gave them both a questioning look which they, in turn, gave to each other.</p><p>She looked into Theo's green eyes, and he looked into her blue ones. It seemed like they were both searching for something, trying to unearth what the other was hiding. It was obvious they were both keeping secrets, but what were they? Hadn't they always agreed to trust each other?</p><p>Ever since she could remember, Cordelia, Claire, and Theo had been inseparable. She and Theo practically grew up together, and they gladly took Claire in and made her a part of their duo when they were eleven. Even at their young age, they always confided in each other-- whether or not it was a crush, or if something was going on at home, or even just about anything that was on their mind.</p><p>So why weren't they doing that now?</p><p>Her mind was solely on that as dinner ended and they left the Great Hall-- she caught Winnie's eye as she stood with Marcus who was running a hand through his black hair, her eyes glossy as if she were about to cry. Winnie glanced away pointedly as Cordelia passed, making her wonder still more:</p><p>What were they all hiding?</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Have you seen Ron?"</p><p>Hermione's voice was small, but it nonetheless echoed throughout the corridor as Harry stood, waiting for her in front of the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. His eyes were focused on the wall in front of him, where just a week earlier the house-elf Dobby had told him a door would appear. He was wary of that, of course, because Dobby had deceived him before (a particular memory where said elf had caused all the bones in his right arm to disappear appeared in his mind).</p><p>"No," Harry replied, eyes not leaving the spot in the wall. "He wasn't in the common room when I left, either."</p><p>"Really?" Hermione furrowed her eyebrows, adjusting the basket in her arms.</p><p>Harry cocked his head toward them. "What're those?"</p><p>"Coins. I'll explain more inside," she told him, allowing her own eyes to stare at the spot in the wall as well. "Is it... going to open?"</p><p>"I'm not sure," Harry said, tilting his head as if to get a better look. "Dobby said we had to walk past it three times or so, in order to get in. Thinking about what we want it to turn into, I think."</p><p>Hermione shrugged her shoulders, nodding her head as she did so. They did what Dobby instructed, Hermione with her face screwed up as she muttered under her breath and Harry, eyes closed, pacing in front of the wall on the opposite end of the tapestry. After a moment, a large door appeared in the wall, and they both exchanged awestruck looks.</p><p>"Wow," said Hermione, as they pushed the door open and walked inside. It was magnificent, and it gave Harry a memory of what Professor Moody's (who had really been Barty Crouch Jr.) office looked like the previous year. There was a various array of sneakoscopes and other dark-wizard-repelling objects. Hermione immediately made her way to the shelves full of books, picking one up off the shelf (Jinxes for the Jinxed) and sinking into a chair to read as they waited for everyone to arrive.</p><p>A knock at the door made him turn, and he saw Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Dean Thomas. They all had excited smiles, practically glowing with their need to defy the horrid Professor Umbridge.</p><p>"Whoa," said Dean, walking over to him, staring around the room, obviously very impressed. "What is this place?"</p><p>He started to explain, but had to start over once more when more and more people started arriving-- a sinking feeling in his gut told him that Zacharias Smith had arrived, and he made a point to ignore him as he sat down on one of the cushions on the floor beside Ernie MacMillian, who seemed agitated. He noticed they both did but decided against asking about it.</p><p>"This place is awesome, Harry!" said Cathy Chang, approaching him. "Where did you learn about it? I've never seen it before."</p><p>Again, he started to explain but was cut off sharply when the door swung open, revealing the brunette that had been taking over his mind these last few weeks. Her hair was pulled into a ponytail at the top of her head, and she seemed aggravated. By what, he didn't know, but he assumed it had something to do with Winifred Bulstrode, as she was nowhere in sight.</p><p>By the time 8 o'clock rolled around, every cushion in the room was taken by someone. Winnie had entered a few minutes after her cousin, walking in beside Neville Longbottom, and he gave her a small wave which she returned.</p><p>He looked over to Hermione, who was staring at the doorway with a fixed expression. "Ron's late."</p><p>"I can see that," she told him, eyes not leaving the door. It was odd for Ron to be late (well, he was usually late, but not this late-- it was almost eight-fifteen and Ron was nowhere in view), but they can continue on, even without him. "You should start the meeting, now."</p><p>"What do I say?" Harry's mouth had gone dry and found himself almost unable to speak in front of the crowd.</p><p>"Just say you're glad everyone could make it," Hermione replied softly, closing her book and getting to her feet to stand beside him.</p><p>"Okay," Harry muttered back. He cleared his throat, and immediately everyone turned to look at him. He suddenly felt awkward, standing with his arms lamely hanging at his sides, feeling self-conscious. But, either way, he continued: "Well, this is the place we've found for practice sessions. And you've - er - obviously found it okay."</p><p>Winnie, in her seat just in front of him, snorted slightly, prompting him to glare at her. She clapped a hand over her mouth, obviously trying to keep herself from falling into a pit of giggles.</p><p>"I've been thinking about the stuff we ought to do first and - er - what, Hermione?" Harry sighed, noticing Hermione beside him with her hand raised as if they were in a classroom.</p><p>"I think we ought to elect a leader," She announced, and Harry heard a harsh laugh that faded into nothing from beside Winnie-- Cordelia Flint. His heart kicked up a notch, but when they made eye contact, he quickly shifted his gaze back to Hermione.</p><p>"Harry's leader," Cathy Chang said immediately as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. (Well, it sorta was, but Harry wasn't going to be selfish, was he?)</p><p>"Yes, but I think we ought to vote on it properly," Hermione said, and Harry had to refrain himself from rolling his eyes. He expected everyone to stay silent, but when they all raised their hands in favor of him being their 'leader', his face burned in admiration. "Well, that settles it."</p><p>"Er - right, thanks," He said, opening his mouth to continue on but Hermione's hand shot up into the air again. "Yes, Hermione?"</p><p>"I also think we should have a name," she said brightly, her hand still raised. "It would promote a feeling of team spirit and unity, don't you think?"</p><p>"Can we be the Anti-Umbridge league?" Angelina Johnson piped up. Harry's lips tilted upward-- he quite liked that one.</p><p>"Or the Ministry of Magic are Moron's group," Fred Weasley suggested, and Harry suppressed a laugh. He glanced over to Hermione, who's cheeks had reddened and she was watching Fred with a look on her face Harry didn't understand.</p><p>She snapped her attention back to the group. "I was thinking," she said, frowning slightly at Fred who continued to grin, "More of a name that didn't tell everyone what we were up to, so we could refer to it freely outside of meetings." Harry rather liked the names that called the people they were going against idiots, but, as she always did, Hermione had other plans. And she was usually right about it, too.</p><p>"The Defense Association?" Cathy asked, tilting her head slightly. Harry looked at her for a moment, and remembered a time when he used to like the girl-- well, at least before he found out she didn't like guys the way he liked girls, and she had a girlfriend. He still found her attractive (because, well, who wouldn't?) but the absence of butterflies in his stomach confirmed that his feelings were gone. That gave him a sense of triumph.</p><p>"Yeah, the D.A is good," said Ginny, speaking up from her place beside Winnie. "Only, let's make it stand for Dumbledore's Army because that's the Ministry's worst fear, isn't it?" There was silence, and then a murmur of agreement broke out in the room. Harry watched Cordelia Flint's mouth turn upwards into a smile and felt a grin coming onto his face, too.</p><p>"All in favor of the DA?" Hermione asked tentatively, counting the number of hands that had just shot up into the air. "That's a majority- notion passed!" She pinned a piece of parchment to the wall, scrawling on top of it, Dumbledore's Army.</p><p>Harry felt a sense of pride, looking at everyone and back to the words on the parchment. His own defense group-- how cool was that? He couldn't believe he had just been hesitant about it.</p><p>"Right," He cleared his throat as Hermione took a seat beside him. "shall we get practicing then? I was thinking, the first thing we should do is Expelliarmus, you know, the Disarming Charm. I know it's pretty basic but I've found it's really useful—"</p><p>"Oh please," Zacharias Smith spoke up from the front row, and Harry felt his blood boil at the sound of his voice. He glanced at Cordelia, whom he had recently learned from Winnie had been cheated on by that foul git, was nudging her cousin with an elbow, earning a confused glance from the blonde. "I don't think Expeliarmus is going to help us against You-Know-Who, do you?"</p><p>"I've used it against him," Harry spoke quietly, staring at the blonde as his face suddenly dropped. "It saved my life last June," He kept his eyes steadily on the boy, knowing that his gaze was intimidating-- he felt that the Hufflepuff deserved it. He had an odd sense of wanting to strangle him, but he didn't go through with it, obviously. "But if you think it's beneath you, you can leave."</p><p>The room was thick with silence as Zacharias slumped, nobody daring to utter a word as the air moved uncomfortably around them. Finally, Winnie sighed, and Harry looked over to her: "Don't you think Smith would look good as trash?" Her words were a whisper, but it was quite clear that it was intended to be fake. He stifled a laugh, looking from one blonde to the other, as the girl in front of him grinned.</p><p>"Oi! I heard that Bulstrode," Zach shouted, twisting in his cushion to stare at her. Winnie's eyes went wide, and she turned around as if looking for something.</p><p>"Did you hear that?" She gasped as her hands fell to cover her mouth. "Merlin's beard, I think there's a ghost here." Hermione, beside him, chuckled, as did a few others around her as Zacharias turned beet red in his spot, staring daggers at her. She wiggled her fingers in a wave and gave him an innocent smile.</p><p>"Winnie, really?" Cordelia muttered, just loud enough to catch his eye. When she looked up at him, her face twisted into an emotion that he couldn't read. Winnie simply rolled her eyes and turned to stick her tongue out at Harry as he glared.</p><p>"Right, anyway," Harry cleared his throat again, but when he opened his mouth to speak once more, the doors banged open, and Ron strode in, drenched from the pouring rain outside and beside him, a girl.</p><p>A girl?</p><p>"Ron," he said, loudly, causing everyone to turn to look at his friend.</p><p>"Sorry I'm late," he said gruffly, running his hand through his hair as Hermione went over to him and the girl, using the drying spell on them both. "I brought a friend, she couldn't make it to the Hog's head."</p><p>The girl stamped on his foot and he yelped, nearly stumbling backward and almost falling to the floor. Hermione waved her wand and caught him before he fell, and he stood up again, shooting a glare at the girl.</p><p>"Thanks, Odile, really," he said, scowling.</p><p>"You're welcome." said the girl, Odile, with an evil grin. "And I'm not his friend, by the way."</p><p>She strode over to sit beside Cedric Diggory, who greeted her with a smile. Harry watched them for a moment, racking his brains to remember who she was (okay, he wasn't ignorant, he knew she was a Hufflepuff and played for the Quidditch team! He just didn't remember her name...), and then, when it popped into his head (Odile McClaren, sixth year, chaser), he finally went on.</p><p>"I reckon we should all divide into pairs and practice. We'll be doing the expelliarmus spell," Harry spoke finally, looking at the whole group. He felt eager to get working, to get out of the spotlight because contrary to popular belief and being the 'Boy Who Lived', he did not enjoy being the center of attention.</p><p>Voldemort didn't seem to respect his wishes.</p><p>Everyone divided into pairs, Harry partnering with Neville, and he watched out of the corner of his eye Winnie and Cordelia were moving to the far end of the room beside Cedric and Odile as the former Triwizard Champion limped along.</p><p>Neville was doing alright for a beginner, not necessarily doing great (like how Cordelia was doing: he found himself glancing over in her direction every so often and saw that to his surprise, she was doing pretty well), but by the time he told him he was going to walk around the room to check on the others, he had already had a good improvement.</p><p>"That wasn't bad," He said, and everyone lowered their wands to look at him. "But there's definite room for improvement, so let's try again! Neville went to work with Ron and Hermione as Harry made his rounds, watching everyone with eager eyes.</p><p>Fred and George Weasley were doing well, but they were taking turns to make Zacharias Smith's wand fly out of his hand every time he opened his mouth to say the incantation. Harry found this funny but, in order for the fucking cheater to learn how to do the spell properly, he actually needed to be able to use his wand. So, when Harry gave the twins a raise of an eyebrow and the subtle shake of his head, they gave him a (un)apologetic shrug and continued doing their own thing.</p><p>Harry bent over to pick up Zacharias's wand and handed it to the boy. As the blonde reached out his hand to grab it, he pulled it back, putting the wand behind his back. "Look," Harry told him, leaning in close so that only he could hear, "I know this is odd but it doesn't help me teach when you're bloody breathing down my neck. And I know you don't want to be in the same room as her--" he cocked his head in Cordelia's direction, and regretted it almost instantly when she narrowed her eyes, noticing them both. "--but you need to suck it up and behave yourself or I'll kick you out. Understand?"</p><p>Zacharias's eyes bore into his as if searching him for something. Finally, when he seemed satisfied, he gave Harry a little smirk. "Didn't realize you liked her."</p><p>Harry opened his mouth to reply, but Zacharias cut him off. "Don't say you don't, because I can see that you do, it's obvious, mate. But, I'll do as you ask, I'll keep quiet." He stood up straight and held his hand out for his wand. "I'll take that back now if you don't mind."</p><p>Harry simply scowled and handed the taller boy his wand back, at a loss for words. He didn't know how to reply to that-- it sounded oddly like a threat, but, at the same time, it didn't.</p><p>That was confusing.</p><p>He turned on his heel and continued to walk around the duos, watching each and every one carefully and offering advice. Cathy Chang's stature was off, so he told her how to fix it; Parvati Patil was mispronouncing expelliarmus, so he helped her fix it; as he walked, he tries to avoid approaching Winnie and Cordelia for as long as possible but, when Winnie called his name, he realized he couldn't.</p><p>"Hey, Harry, look what Cordelia did!" Winnie's voice was exceptionally loud, and Harry turned from where Dean Thomas had been showing him his progress. The brunette's eyes widened as he watched them for a moment, almost frozen in time. His eyes flickered between the two wands that lingered in Cordelia's hands, and he caught Winnie's grin when he looked back up.</p><p>"Er - good, yeah, good job," he said, and Cordelia's cheeks flushed pink, her eyes watching him, not bothering to look away.</p><p>Her eyes.</p><p>Big, blue, and beautiful.</p><p>He shook his head: what was getting into him? He turned to walk away, but Winnie's voice stopped him again. "She's done it four times, now," she said, waving her hand in front of Cordelia, who nudged her with her elbow causing the blonde to glare. Harry simply stood awkwardly, shifting on his feet as if he didn't know what to do with himself.</p><p>Why had he suddenly turned into jello?</p><p>He liked her, that's why. He bloody liked her. A Slytherin, of all people! He wished he would have developed feelings for someone else, like Hermione, but he didn't see her in that light. The only other girls he remembered liking like this was one from his Muggle primary school and Cathy Chang, but, as he had known for a while now, he had absolutely no chance.</p><p>Was he going crazy?</p><p>"That's brilliant, Cordelia," he said, her name sounding foreign in his mouth. He was aware of eyes on him, but he didn't care-- he was too lost in the sea of her eyes as she stared back at him, her mouth parting in shock.</p><p>"Uhm, thank you, Harry," She replied, her voice close to a whisper. This was not at all the person that Winnie had told him about-- the blonde had told him that Cordelia was like a snake, ready to bite at any given moment, but this, this was something else. He thought for a moment that he had rendered her speechless, but, well, he didn't want to get too ahead of himself here.</p><p>( For the record, Cordelia was, in fact, entranced by him, and very much speechless by his emerald green eyes. But we knew that already, didn't we? )</p><p>He didn't notice her eyes on him as he strode away; he didn't hear Cordelia's protests of Winnie playing "matchmaker"; he sure as hell didn't hear her nearly slip up, and tell her cousin how she truly felt about the boy.</p><p>Harry Potter's heart would've gone into overdrive if he had heard.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. badgers do not fly</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cordelia learns that badgers do not fly in the aftermath of the Quidditch match.</p>
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    <p>If someone had looked out the window and onto the Quidditch pitch, they would've laid eyes on a scene that looked remarkably like a grumpy, fussing child being dragged along by their stressed parent.</p><p>"Why are you forcing me to go? I hate Quidditch!" Cordelia seethed as Claire dragged her across the field, heading towards the Slytherin stands, the sounds of voices and the occasional screech of laughter flying over the pitch. The brunette's face was fixed with a scowl as she dug her heels into the ground, trying to force Claire to let her go, but the girl was extraordinarily strong. "Let go of me!"</p><p>Claire suddenly stopped in her tracks, causing Cordelia to run into her. "It's one of the last games before the holidays," she began, pointing to where the Gryffindor team had already started to warm up, tossing the quaffle back and forth, while the Slytherin team stood as they waited for the members who still had yet to arrive. "I want you to watch us win! I promise it won't be as bad as you think. And besides, you haven't been to a single game this term."</p><p>Rolling her blue eyes, Cordelia let out a hmph of displeasure. "I could be studying."</p><p>"Does it look like I care?" Claire grabbed her wrist again and pulled her along, the younger girl following along due to not wanting to get on her best friend's bad side. Claire could be scary if someone wronged her. Not like her skipping the match would be considered wronging the girl, but it would be a reason for her temper to flare. "You'll have fun, I promise. You don't even have to pay attention, just sit and at least get some fresh air! You're always cooped up inside."</p><p>"I am not!" Cordelia retorted as they came up near the Slytherin team. Claire, turning as she adjusted her uniform, raised an eyebrow. "Okay, you got me," she pushed her over to the team, offering a smile (it didn't turn out as so-- she knew this because the girl's eyes narrowed and she gave her a rude hand gesture, which she gladly returned), and then went to go say hello to her brother, waving to Theo who gave her a flashing grin, shouldering his broom as Claire approached him.</p><p>Marcus was in deep conversation with Adrain Pucey, who was tall and could've been intimidating but Cordelia knew otherwise. Deep down the boy was personable. She liked that her brother had at least one friend like this-- she knew that most of the Slytherin boys Marcus's age (and, if she was being honest, her age as well) were pureblood supremacy dimwits who seemed to care about nothing but themselves.</p><p>"Hey," she said. He glanced down at her (yes, down-- he was nearly a foot taller than her).</p><p>"Hey!" He said, beaming. "You're watching the match?"</p><p>"You bet I am," she told him, smiling back at him. The smile came a little easier this time, as it always did when speaking to her brother (on the occasion they were on good terms-- usually they were fighting constantly, and always about idiotic things). She nodded to Adrian, who took this as a cue to let the two siblings talk in private. She watched his back as he left for a moment before speaking again, "How do you think we'll do?"</p><p>"I think we'll dominate."</p><p>"Oh, really?"</p><p>"Really," Marcus affirmed, his black eyes twinkling. "I don't think Johnson's got her head on straight." He cocked his head to where Gryffindor captain Angelina Johnson was flying, yelling at Fred Weasley (or George Weasley?) for nearly hitting her in the face with his bat. "We should be up there warming up, too, but Malfoy's taking his sweet time."</p><p>"What are we waiting for?" The familiar blonde's voice sounded from behind them, and they both turned to see Draco Malfoy striding up onto the field flagged by Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. "Get up into the air already!"</p><p>Marcus scowled, his previously grinning face going slack and being replaced with a look of irritation. "Malfoy, it's not your place to tell us what to do!"</p><p>Malfoy sneered at him and hopped onto his broom as the other members of the team did as well. "See you in the air, Flint! Don't knock a tooth out this time."</p><p>Marcus seemed to growl at his taunts. "I don't know why that motherfucker thinks he's the shit," he muttered under his breath, swinging his leg over his broom. "He gets on my bloody nerves. Well, see you-- oh, don't let me forget, I need to talk to you afterward."</p><p>"About?" She gave him a questioning look, watching his face as if she could read what was on his mind.</p><p>He looked about to speak, but when he saw his team up in the air doing warmups, his dark eyes flashed. "Later, okay? It's important."</p><p>And then he flew off, into the sky, leaving Cordelia standing alone.</p><p>Her eyes drifted to the stands, where her fellow Slytherins were talking loudly and laughing to themselves, searching for someone to stand with. Her friends were all up in the air-- she supposed she could sit with Tracey Davis, but the girl wasn't too sociable. Then she spotted Daphne and Astoria Greengrass who, at Quidditch games and Quidditch games only, were sitting together at the top of the stands.</p><p>She'd rather sit with Daphne than Tracey, any day.</p><p>She trudged up the steps, rubbing her arms with her mitten-clad hands as a cold breeze began to wash over everyone. Cordelia stopped right before she reached the Greengrass sisters' row, contemplating on whether or not she should just leave, get back into the comfort of the castle-- besides, it was sure to rain, with the gray, cloudy sky above her head.</p><p>On the other hand, it might do her some good to talk to people for once. Get over her fright of strangers.</p><p>( Okay, she didn't fear strangers, more like she didn't like them-- she had a hard time opening up, and speaking to them, even if they'd have a conversation before. And with Daphne, even after hearing her side of the story, she still felt scared to approach her, to talk to her like nothing was on her mind. But she supposed she could put the Zacharias situation off to the side because he didn't matter anymore. She wasn't going to let him affect her thoughts, not after he lost his right to be in them. )</p><p>So she started towards the girls, muttering a 'sorry' and 'excuse me' as she crossed in front of her housemates on her way. As she sat down in the empty seat beside Daphne, her mind screamed at her to leave, because, even after they worked things out, things were still... awkward.</p><p>She didn't listen.</p><p>Daphne looked over her shoulder and saw her, giving her a wide-brimmed smile. "Hey, Cordelia!" She said happily, reaching over to hug her. She stiffened slightly, not sure as to why Daphne was hugging her, but if she noticed she didn't show it. She pulled away, the same grin on her face, and looked at her expectantly. "How are you?"</p><p>"Oh, I'm fine," She answered, twisting a strand of hair in between her fingers subconsciously. "I'd rather be up in the castle-- Claire forced me down here, you know."</p><p>"Ah," Daphne replied, and Astoria leaned over to look at her. "I forgot, you never liked Quidditch, did you?"</p><p>Cordelia shook her head and chewed her lip. "No, not really my thing."</p><p>Astoria let out a sigh, as if relieved. "Finally, someone who agrees with me! Daphne, I told you--"</p><p>"Oh, stop it," Daphne snapped at her sister, who simply glared at her and leaned back against the back of the stands, her arms folded as she stared out to where the match was starting.</p><p>The whistle blew, and every broom was up in the air, and she didn't know who to watch: Marcus and Claire (both Chasers) speeding after the Quaffle; Theodore as he hit a bludger so hard it nearly knocked a Gryffindor player off their broom; or Harry Potter, who was zooming across the pitch searching for the snitch, just as it starts pouring rain.</p><p>Bloody hell. This was exactly why she'd rather have been back up in her dormitory, or even in the common room, curled up beside the fire as she scribed on parchment, or rather reading a book. She quite liked to read.</p><p>But no, Claire just had to drag her down here.</p><p>What gives?</p><p>"You like Quidditch, then?" Cordelia questioned, cocking her head in the direction of where a pretty brutal game was occurring.</p><p>Daphne beamed. "Oh, yeah," she said, her eyes shining with delight, "It's incredible, really. I tried out for the team, but I've never been a good player. I prefer to watch from the sidelines."</p><p>"You made the team when you were in second year, didn't you?" Astoria asked, drawing in closer to the girls.</p><p>"It obviously didn't last long," She replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "Like I said, I prefer to watch from the sidelines."</p><p>"I despise it," Her sister blurted, waving her wand above the three of them so a warmth flooded over them and the rain suddenly seemed to miss them as if there was an invisible barrier keeping the water away. Cordelia gave her a grateful smile as the older girl continued: "I don't like watching people on brooms. I've seen enough of it to last a lifetime, honestly."</p><p>"Just because Dad is a professional doesn't mean you've seen enough of it," Daphne groused, rolling her eyes. Astoria narrowed her own identical ones as if wanting to stare so hard that daggers would fly into her sister's skull. "You're just mad because you're not talented at it, that's all."</p><p>"I'm not talented?" Astoria scoffed, sweeping her blonde hair out of her face as she put her wand back in her pocket. "I'm not the one who can't pick an interest without copying someone else."</p><p>Daphne opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off with Lee Jordan shouting over the megaphone, "Ten points for Gryffindor!" Lips parting open in shock, she forgot her retort and stared fixedly at the game happening right in front of their eyes.</p><p>The game went on a few minutes longer, and when Slytherin finally scored, a chorus of cheers erupted in the stands, singing a song that Draco Malfoy had spent hours rehearsing with then:</p><p>Weasley is our king!</p><p>Cordelia refused to sing, and she held in a breath until it was over.</p><p>Later, sometime after Weasley Is Our King had echoed across the stadium for what seemed like the umpteenth time and the game was finally over (with a Gryffindor win, of course), Daphne, as they stood to leave, nudged her in the shoulder with an elbow.</p><p>"Hm?" Cordelia glanced behind her as she walked down the stairs to the bottom of the pitch, the Greengrass sisters in tow. She had become more comfortable with them, more so Astoria than Daphne, but still a considerable amount of progress had been made.</p><p>"Do you remember when we said we'd, well get back at Zacharias?"</p><p>"Yes..." Cordelia raised an eyebrow at her as they stepped off the last bench and onto the green grass of the pitch.</p><p>"He's right over there," She cocked her head in the boy's direction who was, sure enough, walking in the same direction they were headed, talking animatedly with Ernie MacMillan and Justin Finch-Fletchley. "We could do it now."</p><p>"By doing what?"</p><p>"You could use the bat-bogey hex," said Astoria. "I can do it pretty well, if I say so myself."</p><p>The rain was still falling, but it had let up slightly and it was now just sprinkling, small droplets of water falling from the air. Cordelia took in a breath of the fresh smell of the outdoors as she observed Zacharias, eyes lingering on his hands. She frowned for a moment, noticing how close together his and Ernie's hands were but thought better of it when he then draped his arm around Susan Bones who had just joined them.</p><p>She snapped her attention back to Astoria, who was giving her a wide smile. "Did you say the bat bogey hex?"</p><p>"Yep!" Astoria raised her wand and pointed it discreetly in Zach's direction. "Look, watch me do it."</p><p>Daphne's eyes widened as she watched her elder sister mutter the incantation, reaching out a hand to stop her but it was too late— she was saying "Astoria, don't!" and Cordelia had moved to stop her too, for someone had just walked in their line of attack— Odile McClaren, tagged along by Cedric.</p><p>Cordelia had lowered Astoria's wand hand enough for the spell to go haywire, and with the added person in the way, she was sure something was going to go wrong.</p><p>This wasn't going to be good.</p><p>The spell, instead of hitting its intended target, hit the Hufflepuff girl. It didn't do it's intended attack, either— instead of bats flying out of Odile's nose, she was projected backward, knocking into Zacharias as she plummeted through the air as if in slow motion.</p><p>There was a puddle of mud on the ground behind the badgers as they seemed to soar through the air, Odile too stunned to scream and Zach too stunned to stop screaming. And then, with a splash, he landed in the mud, sending it flying everywhere. Odile landed with a thud on her back in the grass beside him: Cordelia's heart was racing as she viewed the scene, and she didn't know whether to laugh or go help them up off the ground.</p><p>She did neither, as when she glanced over to Daphne, the other girl's attention had been stolen for something else was happening on the field, just ahead of them, she saw Vincent Crabbe hit a bludger straight to the back of Harry Potter's head with an audible wham— she instinctively flinched.</p><p>She barely had time to process both events, as they happened so fast right after the other. She looked over to where Odile was pulling herself up off the ground and Zach was being helped up by Ernie, a grimace on her face, before turning in the direction of the altercation in which Harry was now staring down Malfoy alongside the Weasley twins, whose faces were flushed with anger as he seemingly taunted them.</p><p>"— but you like the Weasley's, don't you, Potter? I would've added more lyrics, then," He was saying as she and Daphne approached, Astoria leaving the pitch as quickly as she could in order to avoid detection. "Spend holidays there and everything, don't you? Can see you you stand the stink, but I suppose when you've been dragged up my muggles even the Weasley's hovel smells okay—"</p><p>Cordelia, for a split second, found herself agreeing with him. A result of her bringing up in a pureblood-supremacist home. But then her rational side of her brain kicked in and she mentally cursed herself for thinking that, feeling sinful for even letting the thought into her head. She watched Harry grip the back of one of the twin's uniform as the other was being held back by three girls who played for the Gryffindor team, opening her mouth to speak while pretending the guilt didn't exist.</p><p>"Draco!" She hissed in his ear.</p><p>"Or, perhaps," Malfoy said, leering as he backed away from the Gryffindors. He clearly was ignoring Cordelia, and that made her feel even worse. "You can remember what your mother's house stank like, Potter, and the Weasley's remind you of it—"</p><p>Harry noticed Cordelia standing behind Draco, and she realized with a pang in her stomach that he thought she was on his side as she kept quiet, not able to reach the blonde as he spoke. Then he let go of Fred or George's robes, and they were on top of Draco within seconds, pounding every inch of him they could reach with their bare hands, evidentially forgetting they could use magic.</p><p>She had long forgotten about the failed hex on Zacharias now, and guilt continued to crawl in every crevice of her body like an infestation.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Cordelia was never good with apologies, especially if she knew she wasn't in the wrong.</p><p>Yet, if she wasn't in the wrong, then why did she feel guilty?</p><p>She didn't say anything to egg Draco on, nothing at all. But she didn't tell him to stop, either, and she thought it must look like to Harry that she was supporting the boy in his disgusting words. She didn't want it to look that way, she didn't.</p><p>And the split second she had wanted to agree... that made her feel worse. Cordelia had thought, ever since her third year, she had grown out of that pureblood mentality, where everyone who's blood wasn't "pure" was below her. Both her friendship and relationship with Zacharias Smith had made her realize that her family ideology was, truly, a thing of the past.</p><p>But was it really?</p><p>She didn't know what to think anymore.</p><p>Luckily the holiday season was just around the corner, and she would have time to gather her thoughts. Although she wouldn't be able to ignore her parents' snide comments about half-breeds and muggleborns (or, in their words, mudbloods, a term she tried so hard not to use), she could definitely try, and try she would.</p><p>The match had long since been over, and Cordelia was sitting in the common room, her feet propped up against the table as she sat. A book was open in her lap but no progress was being made-- she found herself starting at and re-reading the same page over, and over, and over. Her eyes were focused on it, but her mind was somewhere else.</p><p>The couch cushion sunk slightly as someone sat down beside her, and she snapped out of her trance. She glanced up to see Marcus sitting to her left, clad in Muggle clothing. He mimicked her position, propping his own feet up against the table, and she gave him a small smile.</p><p>"Hi," she said, her voice quiet but just loud enough for him to hear as she closed her book.</p><p>"Hey," He replied. "Can I talk to you?"</p><p>"Oh, right," She nodded, remembering something from earlier. "You wanted to talk, didn't you?"</p><p>"Yeah," He said, and although he relaxed further into the couch he still looked rather tense, causing her to raise a concerned eyebrow.</p><p>"Everything okay?" she asked him, and his exhale told him that everything was, in fact, not.</p><p>"Yes... and no," He said. "Winnie asked about Max."</p><p>Cordelia's heart sank to her stomach. "What did you tell her?"</p><p>Marcus eyed her for a moment before speaking again. "I told her the truth."</p><p>Her head throbbed. "You— you told her—"</p><p>"I didn't give details," he cut in, panicked. "But that's not my point. Hold on, breathe—"</p><p>"You told her?" Cordelia said in a pained, hushed voice, dragging her hands across her face. Her heart began to beat rapidly in her chest when she came to the realization that Winnie knew.</p><p>"Delia, breathe." He gripped her shoulders. "Sh, it's okay. She's not going to tell anyone, everything is fine. You need to let me finish."</p><p>She sucked in a breath, willing her heart to slow down. Marcus waited until she looked fine enough for him to continue, and when he did, it did not help her speeding heart rate.</p><p>"I think she's in trouble," he said, quietly as a few second years passed by them, giggling to themselves. "She said something cryptic. I can't explain it, but I think something's wrong."</p><p>"She told you that and not me?" Cordelia asked him, eyes widening. "Why wouldn't she tell me?"</p><p>"I think she's scared. I don't know why Max came up, but—"</p><p>"What does she have to be scared of?" She said, her voice cracking. "She doesn't have Death eaters for parents. She doesn't have anything to be worried about!"</p><p>Marcus narrowed his eyes. "You know our family, Delia. Anything can happen."</p><p>Cordelia snorted, a harsh laugh escaping her lips. "Understatement. Our bloody fucking family."</p><p>Marcus smiled slightly. "That's exactly what she said."</p><p>She paused. "Do you know why she mentioned Max?" She asked, her voice still low enough for only him to hear. The common room was becoming more and more packed by the second, and she was becoming increasingly more aware of those surrounding her.</p><p>"No," Marcus shook his head. "I just said I don't know. But we're the only ones who know, us and mum and—"</p><p>"Dad." Cordelia finished, the memory flashing before her eyes for a split second before she was brought back to reality.</p><p>"And the good news," Marcus said, hastily changing the subject as a gaggle of fourth year girls sat down on the opposite side of the table. "Is that we won't have to worry about Umbridge writing to our parents after tomorrow."</p><p>"What's tomorrow?"</p><p>"The first Inquisitorial Squad meeting," he clarified. "We're supposed to be there during lunch in Umbridge's classroom."</p><p>"I don't want to spend my lunch hour with that old bat!" Cordelia hissed under her breath.</p><p>"Well, too bad," Marcus was glowering, making it obvious he didn't want to go, either, but they had to, unless they wanted to face the wrath of their parents (more like their father, but same thing).</p><p>She let out a huff of irritation, folding her arms across her chest. She took in another deep breath, her heart still beating quickly and she swore she could feel sweat forming on her brow.</p><p>Now she knows what happens when you mix guilt, fear, and anxiety together. And she never wanted to feel it again, not if she could help it.</p><p>Marcus moved to get up from the couch. "Well," he cleared his throat. "That's all I wanted to talk to you about. Keep an eye on Winnie, yeah?"</p><p>Cordelia gave him a small smile that did not quite reach her eyes. "Always."</p><p>Marcus got to his feet and was about to walk away, but a question pushed its way to the forefront of her mind, and she stopped him. "Hey, Marcus?"</p><p>He turned to look at her, an eyebrow raised.</p><p>"What would I do if I, hypothetically, made someone think I was a bitch? Well, a pure-blooded psychopath is the better way to explain it. And what if I didn't know them well, but we were... becoming friends, I guess? I don't know. Any advice?"</p><p>"This is hypothetical, right?" Marcus smirked slightly, and it took all her energy not to glower at him.</p><p>"Yeah, hypothetical."</p><p>"I'd write them a note," he said simply. "Apologize, and all. But it depends who it is." Then he turned on his heel, waving a slight goodbye to his sister as he walked towards the boys dormitories.</p><p>She watched him leave, and as he turned the corner and out of sight, she knew what she had to do.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. moondust</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Astronomy tower brings Cordelia and a certain someone closer.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Please take out your books and turn to chapter seven. You will continue to read where you left off and take notes. And there will be-"</p><p>"No need to talk..." The class muttered under their breaths, an all too familiar phrase rolling off their tongues. Professor Umbridge smiled, if you could even call it that, returning to her desk. When she sat, it was barely noticeable-- she was so short it didn't even make a difference.</p><p>Cordelia let out a breath as she opened her textbook, flipping to the page titled Chapter Seven. A piece of parchment and a quill had already been placed on her desk, because, for some odd reason, Professor Umbitch didn't like students using their own belongings. She supposed it was because of the upward trend in usage of sugar quills, but it didn't really make a difference.</p><p>She glanced across the room to where Harry was sitting, staring daggers at Umbridge as she sat behind her desk, innocently scribbling away at paperwork with a pink-feathered quill. She felt her heart drop, and she knew then she had to do what she had been putting off since the night before.</p><p>Rummaging in her bag, she tore off a piece of parchment, slowly so that she wouldn't draw too much attention to herself. She spread it out so it was no longer wrinkled (she had a bad habit of stuffing her belongings into her bag, and Winnie liked to harp on her for it), dipping Umbridge's loaned quill into the ink as she thought about what to write.</p><p>A thought suddenly loomed into mind, in the form of a memory. She remembered Winnie's voice after dinner the previous night: "Harry's been stressed lately. First, he gets detention for saying what was on his mind and then is banned from Quidditch! He just needs a way to, well, let loose. I guess."</p><p>A lightbulb went off in her head, and she was scrawling on the page within seconds, confident that this would get the message across.</p><p>Or, more rather, that evening would.</p><p>An hour or so later the bell rang, and she folded the note discreetly into a square. She waited until the classroom was nearly empty, save for her, Pansy, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Millicent Bulstrode who, unfortunately, had also stayed behind for lunch to speak to the crude woman about the 'Inquisitorial Squad'. She tried not to be bothered by it, but Millicent and Winnie looked so alike it made her skin crawl.</p><p>When Harry stood to collect his things, she walked over to him, slid the note onto the desk. She tried to avoid looking him in the eye, but his green eyes were too captivating to miss, so she warily glanced at them as she turned to walk back to her seat, seeing a confused expression on the boy's face.</p><p>When she had sat back in her seat, and Harry was out the door followed by Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, Cordelia hoped that he had opened the little piece of paper and was considering her offer that was written on it.</p><p> </p><p>( He had, in fact, unfolded the letter as he left:</p><p>Potter,</p><p>I know this seems unprecedented, but if you're able, will you meet me at the top of the astronomy tower tonight at nine? I want to speak to you about something.</p><p>Cordelia</p><p>When he handed it over to Hermione for inspection, she simply told him to go, and that was it. Ron, on the other hand, had some, well, not so nice things to say: "That girl just let Malfoy ramble on about Mum! Don't go, Harry, it's not worth it."</p><p>He was going to go anyway. )</p><p> </p><p>Umbridge neatly stacked the papers on her desk and stood up, making her way over towards the six snakes that were left in the room. Cordelia briefly made eye contact with her cousin before perching herself at the edge of her desk as she waited for the pudgy woman to speak.</p><p>"I see you all have taken up on my offer," she said brightly, her voice high-pitched and doll-like. "And you, Ms. Flint, I'm glad I won't be needing to write to your parents."</p><p>Cordelia gritted her teeth. "As am I."</p><p>The corners of Dolores Umbridge's mouth twitched slightly. "We'll just wait for the others to arrive, then."</p><p>As if on cue, the door swung open to reveal a few more Slytherin students, all in their older years. She recognized Adrian Pucey and Cassius Warrington, both friends of her brother and players for the Slytherin Quidditch team, followed by a girl she knew as Carmela Winston, another girl in Marcus's year. They sauntered in, and a few minutes later Marcus was inside as well, face set in a grimace as he kept his arms tightly folded across his chest.</p><p>Cordelia let out a breath, feeling more at ease because of her brother's presence as he went to stand beside her. Umbridge cleared her throat (the hem everyone came to dread), and picked up a small, black box that she then gripped tightly in her hands.</p><p>"Hello, everyone," she said, smiling widely now. Marcus snorted slightly but was able to conceal it with a cough as they all replied with a greeting. "Well, let's get started then, shall we?"</p><p>She tapped the chalkboard with her wand and the instructions from Cordelia's D.A.D.A class was replaced with the words, THE INQUISITORIAL SQUAD in big, bold letters. "I've handpicked you all to help me restore order within the walls of the castle, you have all proved to be very... promising, in that aspect." She briefly let her eyes settle on Cordelia for a moment, flashing before they returned to their beady, black state. "I hope you are all ready for the challenge."</p><p>"How will we help you achieve that, Professor?" asked Millicent innocently, picking at the sleeves of her robes that were slightly frayed along the edges.</p><p>"Very good question, Ms. Bulstrode," Umbridge replied sweetly. She tapped the board again and a numbered list appeared on the board. "But I would like to make it clear that we do not start business until the following term, after the holidays, as we are running low on time. I do not expect you to be able to handle these responsibilities in such a short period of time. But, once we are back in session, you will have the ability to take house points from activities that you deem irresponsible or inappropriate."</p><p>A small murmur of approval rang out in the room. Although it would be interesting to be able to give and take house points from anyone whenever she wanted, it didn't appeal to her as much as it did the others. She took note of Draco's eyes gleaming with delight and Adrian Pucey's grin of pleasure, and she wished more than anything that her parents had not forced her to attend.</p><p>Marcus seemed to think the same because he leaned over to whisper in her ear as Umbridge went on to explain the other points on the board: "This is stupid."</p><p>She waited for the woman in pink to look away to reply, "Can't we just leave?"</p><p>"No, not unless--"</p><p>A hem echoed in the room and she flinched. "Do you have a question, Mr. Flint?"</p><p>"Oh," Marcus choked on his own saliva, caught off guard by Professor Umbridge addressing him. "No, professor. My apologies."</p><p>Draco sniggered from her other side, and Millicent shot them a look. Cordelia tilted her head and glared back at her. The blonde narrowed her own eyes, and they silently agreed that the tension between them was here to stay.</p><p>"Well," said Dolores Umbridge, watching the two Flint siblings with eyes that rivaled a raging fire, "Do me a favor and stand in a line."</p><p>Marcus and Cordelia shared a look as she took herself off the desk to stand beside Cassius Warrington, who towered over her. He looked down at her and gave her a smirk, and she felt her insides squelch with disgust. Why her brother was friends with this boy, she didn't know, and she couldn't be more eager to get out of his presence. At least Adrian Pucey wasn't as bad (or revolting).</p><p>Umbridge opened the lid to the small box, and the insides glitter silver. She lifted something out of it, and it seemed to her like it was a small pin that shone in her stubby, short-fingered hand. The professor used one hand to fasten it to the front of her pink sweater and gave the room a chilling smile.</p><p>"Once I fasten this pin on your robes, you will be an official member of the Inquisitorial Squad," she said, moving closer to Pansy Parkinson who stood at the opposite end of the line, staring fixated at Draco as he talked in a low voice to Goyle. "I will have more information for you once we return from the holidays. I expect you all to be prepared and ready for this responsibility, as I am counting on you to make sure no one resists the Ministry's regime. Do you understand?"</p><p>They all nodded, but that didn't seem to be enough for the woman.</p><p>"Please say it," she told them. "Say, I understand, Professor Umbridge."</p><p>"I understand, Professor Umbridge." Everyone said simultaneously, and Umbridge grinned.</p><p>"Perfect!" She began to walk in front of the line, reaching into the little box to take out the pin. As she fastened it to everyone's robes, Cordelia noticed it was shaped like a tiny, silver I, a cute pin but not one she wanted to parade around the castle with.</p><p>When Umbridge got to her, she was just tough enough with the pin to stab her in the chest with the end of it. When Cordelia winced, she said in a voice only loud enough for her to hear, "Behave yourself, Ms. Flint."</p><p>Swallowing, she nodded, and Umbridge gave her a compassionless leer as she continued to her brother, who seemed to get the same threat but without the spoken words. He stared the plump woman down, and she stared back as she fastened the pin to the front of his robes.</p><p>Oh, how she hated that fucking woman.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The spiral staircase up to the Astronomy Tower was empty, allowing the sound of her footsteps to carry up through the tower as she walked. She really wasn't supposed to be out this late, as curfew was at nine, but she didn't care. The fresh air looming from the top of the staircase seemed to carry her absentmindedly up towards the tower.</p><p>She pushed the door open as she reached the top of the staircase, and the cold air greeted her. She immediately wrapped her arms around herself, cursing inwardly for not bringing a warmer sweater; she had forgotten how cold it got at this time of night, especially at this time of the year.</p><p>Cordelia reached the edge of the tower and leaned against the railing, her eyes drifting across the view. The wind blew across her face, slightly lifting her hair off her shoulders and grazing her skin. She breathed in the air, the coolness calming her nerves.</p><p>She didn't know why she was nervous. She shouldn't be, if anything, Harry should be nervous, not her. He didn't know what she was going to say-- for all he knew, she could be planning to push him off the astronomy tower! She wouldn't be surprised if he thought that, as her being a Slytherin should've given him a reason not to trust her in the first place.</p><p>The only light that fell upon the tower was from the moon that shone overhead, alongside the stars that glittered in the sky like diamonds. The constellation Orion was above her, and she smiled, feeling calmer than she had all day. She wondered why she didn't come up here more often--</p><p>"Cordelia?"</p><p>She jumped, her heart suddenly in the back of her throat. She spun around to see Harry. His eyes brightened, but his expression had hardened and his jaw was set.</p><p>"You needed to talk to me?" He asked, not moving from the spot where he stood. His green eyes and glasses reflected the moon and she stared at him for a moment, loss for words, before clearing her throat.</p><p>"Yeah," She said, rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. The railing was digging into her back as she thought of the words. "I wanted to apologize."</p><p>Harry wrinkled an eyebrow. "Oh, really?"</p><p>"You seem surprised," she said lightly, turning back around to face the open sky. He still stood behind her, watching her carefully as she kept her back toward him.</p><p>"Oh yeah, why would you ever think that?" His voice crawled with sarcasm, his feet planted firmly on the stone floor. She didn't bother to look around at him, staying focused on the stars above her head.</p><p>"I'm sorry that I didn't stop Draco from saying those things," Cordelia told him.</p><p>"You could've said something." His voice was low, and when she turned her head to look at him, the Harry she saw was one completely different than the one from the DA meetings and the one she had seen in the kitchens. This Harry was hurt, and she felt the guilt again. "I thought you were better than that."</p><p>"You thought I was better than what? You barely know me," she argued, stepping closer to him.</p><p>"You're right, I don't," Harry snapped, his green eyes flickering beneath the surface of his round glasses. The moonlight trickled on the pale of his face, making his skin glow as he ran a hand through his hair, tugging furiously before muttering disappointedly in under his breath. "Looks like Winnie was wrong about you, then."</p><p>A pause, and then she gritted her teeth. "What's that supposed to mean?"</p><p>"She said you were different," Harry spoke, stuffing his hands into his pockets. He shook the hair out of his face and his lightning bolt scar became visible on his forehead, and instead of looking at his eyes, she focused on that instead. "But you're just like the others."</p><p>"If you would just let me fucking speak," Cordelia hissed, "Then maybe you would find out that I'm not like them at all. Just because you and Draco have hated each other since day one doesn't mean all Slytherins are bad."</p><p>"If that's true, then why didn't you stop him?" Harry fumed, leaning forward so he stood over her. "You were right there, Cordelia."</p><p>"I know that!" She snapped, turning on her heel and going back over to the railing. She took in a breath of the fresh air again to regain her composure— looks like her apology wasn't going very well. "I know that! Okay, look, you need to understand that he's just trying to get under your skin—"</p><p>"What, and that means that I have to sit by while he insults Ron's and my family?"</p><p>Cordelia looked at him again, feeling her face flush with anger and irritation. Was this idiot really going to suggest that she doesn't care about anyone? That was really fucking stupid of him.</p><p>"Of course not! Let me ask you this, would you really think Winnie would continue to associate herself with me if I was like the 'typical Slytherin'?" she used her fingers to make quotations in the air. "You've seen the way she is with her sister, Potter. You know we're not alike in the slightest."</p><p>"From what I've seen," Harry said, avoiding eye contact. "It seems like you're pretty close with Malfoy. It would make sense why you defend him."</p><p>"I— Are you fucking kidding me?" She let out a groan of frustration. "Can you just let me apologize? I wasn't able to get him to stop because he wouldn't bloody listen to me, okay? He's stupid and arrogant, and of course, I wouldn't defend him!"</p><p>Harry stared at her, eyes widening a fraction of an inch as she threw her arms up in the air in exasperation. "If you don't believe me, fine. I was trying to be civil and apologize, but okay. Fine."</p><p>Cordelia returned her attention to the skyline as the trees shook and a flock of birds rose up into the air. She heard footsteps behind her and thought he was leaving, but she saw him out of the corner of her eye join her as she leaned again against the railing.</p><p>"If you really think he's 'stupid' and 'arrogant'," he asked, turning his head as he looked at her. She didn't return his gaze, but she knew that, just by the tone of his voice, she had done something right. "Then why are you friends with him?"</p><p>She snorted. "He's a... family friend," she said, glancing over in his direction, surprised to find his eyes still on her face. "Known him since we were children. Can't really get away from him."</p><p>Harry just nodded and looked up at the sky. They were silent for a moment before he spoke again, still watching the stars as if they were the most fascinating thing in the world. "Why did you ask me up here?"</p><p>"To apologize." She replied simply, giving him a small smile.</p><p>"Why did you really ask me up here?" He asked again, voice low. Her breath hitched at the sound of it, and she had to clear her throat to regain her voice.</p><p>"Winnie told me you've been stressed lately," Cordelia told him with the shrug of her shoulders. Her eyes drifted across his face as he continued to look up at the sky. "I thought I'd ask you up here. Always helps me when I'm anxious."</p><p>"You're right."</p><p>She raised an eyebrow and moved closer to him. "About?"</p><p>"It helping. I feel... better, now." The ghost of a smile was on his lips, and she felt one coming on too.</p><p>"Oh, really? You were just snapping at me," she chuckled lightly, and he rolled his eyes.</p><p>"Well, I have reason to believe you're being honest with me," He implored, dipping his head so he could look at her. "Winnie's a good judge of character, I think."</p><p>"That," Cordelia grinned, feeling better now that she knew he accepted her apology. "Is true."</p><p>A pause, then: "You two are really close, aren't you?"</p><p>"Very," She sighed, stretching out her arm so she could examine her hands. "Ever since we were kids. Us and Millicent and my older brother. But once she got sorted into Gryffindor and Max got sent to Durmstrang it sort of fell apart. Well, our family stopped sending her around. But we're still close."</p><p>"I'm glad she has someone like you," he said. "She needs a person like that. She really does. Someone to rely on."</p><p>"Yeah, I guess." She picked at her fingernails. "You seem nice enough to be her friend, too."</p><p>"Nice enough?" Harry tilted his head and gave her a sarcastic smile. "Wow, thanks. Really."</p><p>Cordelia laughed, a sound that echoed across the Astronomy tower. "You know what I mean."</p><p>Again, a silence fell over the two as they both looked up at the sky, the stars still shining brightly above them. She felt calmer, calmer than she had been in days, and feeling finally under her own control.</p><p>She let out a breath.</p><p>"You know what I find so strange?" She asked him as she stared at the Orion constellation above them.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"Everything seems so small when there are thousands of stars above us, while worlds, even, and we're here," Cordelia observed. "It's beautiful, really."</p><p>Harry gazed back down at her as she continued to stare up at the world, entranced by the stars that looked so much like scattered moon dust in the sky. "Yeah, really beautiful."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. beating heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cordelia receives a Christmas present.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cordelia often wondered about the inner workings of the world. </p>
<p>Was there something keeping it going? Some higher being that spun the Earth on its axis, shining light on those who inhabited it? Was that said something good, or evil?</p>
<p>If there was something, she supposed it would be neither. She doubted that a ‘higher being’ even existed, anyway, because why would there be such a big divide between the Wizard and Muggle worlds that caused a deafening, bloody war? She didn’t understand. She didn’t want to understand, but she could always continue to wonder. </p>
<p>But she didn’t like the places her mind went when she was alone. </p>
<p>That’s why she depended so heavily on those around her, most relevant being Theodore Nott and Claire Tamashiro, and, of course, Winifred Bulstrode. The three were the sole things keeping her grounded, and she sometimes felt that she had nothing left to live for-- they truly were her lifeline. </p>
<p>That tied in to her frequent thoughts: would a higher being really go so far to make her suffer? Or was it just the way life was? The bodies of everyone she had loved behind her in a line that stretched miles, the background noise of everything she had ever done wrong floating aimlessly around her head, worries of the future ripping away at any good feeling she had? </p>
<p>Someone’s snapping fingers brought her out of her trance, and she blinked, looking up into Theodore Nott’s face as he looked down at her, face bright but eyes filled with concern. “You good?”<br/>“Oh,” Cordelia coughed, shaking her head to rid herself of the grim images in her head. “Yes, I’m fine. Just spaced out for a minute, that’s all.” </p>
<p>“You looked worlds away,” Claire Tamashiro joked from beside her, weaving strands of her dark hair together into a long braid. She tied it off at the end, and then reached for the small, orange pin that was in Theo’s hands; the phoenix feather pin that she never went anywhere without. Cordelia smiled slightly as the girl fastened it to the top of her head. </p>
<p>“No, don’t worry. I’m okay,” She assured them, waving her hand to dismiss it. <br/>“You better be,” replied Claire with a slight frown, brushing her hands against the pleats of her skirt. Cordelia wondered briefly how she was wearing a skirt in the cold weather before the girl said, “Wouldn’t want you feeling down on our last day of school, would we?” </p>
<p>“Definitely not,” Cordelia agreed with a laugh. She drew into herself, the sudden but not unexpected breeze sending a shiver down her body. Even though the sun was shining directly on them, it was winter, and the cold weather had made the atmosphere like ice. A small layer of snow laid on the stone courtyard like a blanket, reflecting the sun’s light by their feet. She stuffed her hands into the lined pockets of her robes. “I guess we’ll be free of Umbridge soon, won’t we?”</p>
<p>Theo snorted and shifted his weight, running a hand through his brown locks.  “I’ll be so fucking happy to get out of her classroom. Did I tell you she asked me to join her Squad or whatever the hell it’s called?”</p>
<p>Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “She did?”</p>
<p>“What, you don’t think I’m cool enough to join your ‘gang’?” Theo retorted with a pout, feigning ill as he placed a hand over his heart. “I’m offended.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry, Theo,” Claire piped up, standing up on her tip-toes to cup his face in her hands. “I think you’re pretty damn cool.”</p>
<p>Smirking, Theo patted her head, and Claire lowered herself back down to the floor. “Thanks, Clairo.”</p>
<p>“For the record, the Inquisitorial Squad isn’t as exciting as you might think,” Cordelia chided, rolling her eyes slightly as Theo looked down at her. “I mean, I doubt you would think this it’s exciting, but it’s basically a way for the bitch to give all the bullies special privileges. I mean, I’m not a bully, but, you know what I mean. Draco’s there, my cousin is there--”</p>
<p>“Why is Winnie there?” Theo cut in, eyes widening at the prospect that the love of his life was involved in Umbridge’s regime.</p>
<p>“No, you dolt,” Cordelia smacked him on the shoulder and gave him a look. “Did you forget that Winnie has a sister?”</p>
<p>Realization dawned in Theo’s eyes and his cheeks reddened as Claire burst into giggles, covering her hand with her mouth. The brunette choked back a laugh, watching Theo as he seemed to recoil into himself with self-consciousness. “She’s in our house! How could you forget?” </p>
<p>Theo rubbed the back of his neck and gave her an apologetic smile, but when he opened his mouth to retaliate, a familiar voice sounded from behind them, and his eyes visibly became brighter as he straightened. “My lovely future wife, isn’t she stunning?” </p>
<p>Cordelia rolled his eyes as he draped his arm across her shoulders, but instead of leaning into his embrace, Winnie shrugged him off and shot him a glare, prompting him to wink at her.<br/>“Anyway,” Winnie said shortly, looking back at her cousin and the girl who stood beside her. “Claire, your hair looks lovely,” She greeted, smiling slightly before she turned to Cordelia, her hands stuffed in her pockets. “Mind if I speak to you for a moment?” </p>
<p>Nodding, Cordelia looked back to Claire and Theo as she joined Winnie to an alcove close by to where they had been standing just moments prior. <br/>“What’s this about?” she asked, and a sudden wave of concern washed over her. Marcus had said to keep an eye out for the girl, was this something about her being in trouble? It didn’t sit well with her, and she knew in the pit of her stomach as she watched the girl, that something was wrong. But would Winnie say anything, anyway? Cordelia knew her cousin had a history of keeping her problems under wraps. </p>
<p>“I know it’s early, and well, we usually do this at the party at the Manor, but well,” Winnie paused as she took out something out of her pockets. Two compact mirrors lay in the palms of her hands, one blue and one purple. She slipped the blue one in between her fingers and held  it out for Cordelia to take. “Merry Christmas.” She finished, tilting her lips up into an unconvincing smile. </p>
<p>“A compact?” The brunette probed, raising an eyebrow as she took the object gingerly from between Winnie’s fingers. She rolled her eyes, taking out her wand from beneath the pockets of her robes and flipping open the violet compact.</p>
<p>“Well, what are you waiting for? Repeat what I’m doing,” Winnie instructed, narrowing her eyes as Cordelia narrowed her own. They stared at each other for a moment before she did as told, flipping open her compact and taking out her wand. </p>
<p>“Okay, now, tap your wand against the compact and say patentibus,” Winnie said, doing what the words had said. Cordelia did the same, and not a moment passed before a small gasped escaped her lips, and, instead of looking at her reflection, she was staring at the underside of Winnie’s pale face as the mirror glimmered slightly. </p>
<p>“I know it isn’t much, but, well, I thought it would be an easier way for us to talk,” Winnie stated, shrugging her shoulders as she shut her own mirror. </p>
<p>“This is brilliant, Winnie,” Cordelia gushed, the corner of her lips pulling upward into a minute smile. “That’s so much easier than owls. And quicker, too,” she added with a laugh, and Winnie snorted in response. “But is there a reason you’re giving me this now?” </p>
<p>Winnie’s eyes widened slightly and they glazed over, and Cordelia watched what she believed was a mental battle that raged inside her cousin’s head. She remained dazed for a few moments, seemingly lost for words, before she shook her head and smiled a smile that Cordelia used all too well to hide her true feelings. </p>
<p>“No, not at all,” she said, and Cordelia nodded, watching her with uneasy eyes as they said their goodbyes. Watching the girl’s retreating back, she wondered for a moment what had just happened-- she wished she was better at Legilimency so she could get a better read on Winifred Bulstrode’s mind. But she hoped it would never come to that, and Winnie would trust her enough to tell her what she was hiding. </p>
<p>The girl she had considered her lifeline was becoming distant, and Cordelia could feel the trust that had taken them years to build began to crumble at her feet, and felt a feeling in her stomach that made her feel that way, too. </p>
<p>Falling, falling, falling down until she would eventually break into pieces. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>▬▬▬▬</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Stupefy!”</p>
<p>Cordelia was blasted backward, her back landing hard against the hard ground. She winced as she brought herself back up off the ground, shooting a glare at her cousin as she stood, grinning proudly. </p>
<p>“Next time give me a heads up, will you?” She said bitterly, rubbing her hip where a sharp pain was now radiating. </p>
<p>“The point of the spell is to catch you off guard, Cor,” said Winnie with a smirk, clapping Cordelia on the shoulder as the latter glared. “Be more on lockdown next time, yeah?”</p>
<p>“Like there’ll be a next time.” Cordelia grumbled as Harry blew his whistle to get their attention. She looked over to him, where he was standing beside Ron (who was looking quite proud of himself). He cleared his throat, and everyone who hadn’t turned to look at him did so. </p>
<p>“Well, good job everyone!” He announced, and a murmur of agreement and people congratulating each other for their good work rang out in the room. “I’ll see you all after Christmas, we’ll let you know when the next meeting is when we get back.”</p>
<p>Chatter erupted, and everyone started grouping up into their groups so they could leave. As Cordelia stood, she felt the feeling of someone’s hand on her elbow, turning her to look at them. She was prepared to look at Winnie, and she had her mouth open to snap at her again for knocking her back so hard, but she instead was staring up into the face of Zacharias, who’s eyes were clouded with an emotion she couldn’t read. </p>
<p>“Can we talk?” he asked under his breath as everyone started filing out. Catching Winnie’s eye, she pulled her arm out of his grasp but he held on tighter. “Please?”</p>
<p>“Let go of me,” she snarled at him, finally yanking herself free from him. She went to turn on her heel and leave him alone, but he grabbed her again by her shoulders and made her face him. <br/>“Please, it’s important,” he begged, eyes boring into hers as she tried to wriggle herself out of her constraints. </p>
<p>“Let me go and I’ll think about it,” Cordelia hissed, and after a moment, he reluctantly let go of her shoulders. She rubbed them, but instead of following her gut and leaving him, she stayed rooted to the spot, looking up into his face. “What do you want from me?”</p>
<p>Zach studied her, eyes flickering across her face. She stood her ground, folding her arms over her chest, flinching again when she shifted her weight, pain shooting from her hip. She gritted her teeth as he spoke. “There’s something I need to tell you.”</p>
<p>She snorted, sucking her teeth as she avoided eye contact. “What, about how ‘sorry’ you are? Please. Save it for someone who cares.”</p>
<p>His jaw tightened, and she knew she had hit a nerve. Cordelia wanted to leave, leave the room before she could get herself any deeper, but she knew by the look on his face that this was a conversation they needed to have. She had known him since she was eleven, and she had once cared about him more than anything, and deep down she felt like falling back into his arms and accepting every apology she had to offer.</p>
<p>But that was the old her. </p>
<p>Times had changed. </p>
<p>“Cordelia, I’m--” He started, but she cut him off. </p>
<p>“Sorry? You should be.” She snapped, her face flushing with frustration. </p>
<p>His face glowed red, and his grey eyes became stormy. “Just fucking hear me out, Cor!”</p>
<p>“You don’t have the right to call me Cor anymore, Zacharias,” Cordelia chided, tilting her head away from him. “The moment you cheated on me was when you lost that privilege.”<br/>“I know, and I’m so, so sorry,” he said, lowering his voice. </p>
<p>From the sound of the room, or rather lack of, she knew it was empty. But from the corner of her eye, she saw Harry watching them, eyes trained on Zacharias as he pretended to adjust the different pieces of furniture in the room. That’s when she remembered that he had to be the last one to leave, so the room could close properly. She cursed herself, feeling more exposed than ever. </p>
<p>“Stop.” She told the blonde, holding out her palm as she raised her head to look at him. “Stop. You can’t do that to me, Zacharias. You can’t.”</p>
<p>“I’m trying to apologize--”</p>
<p>“For breaking my heart?” Her voice was softer now, but there was an undertone of harshness laced within her words. Staring up into his familiar eyes made memories upon memories rush through her mind, one after the other, from a time where they were happy. Her own eyes began to water, and she looked away, blinking. “You’re going to need to try a hell of a lot harder.”</p>
<p>“If you would just listen--”</p>
<p>“I have no obligation to listen to you.” Her voice broke. “You don’t know the damage you caused, okay? You don’t.”</p>
<p>“I want to fix it,” he said, and when she looked back over to him, his own eyes were watering. How the hell could he be feeling upset at this moment? He was the one who ruined everything, who made her feel like she was worthless, like he was using her as a plaything, a toy he could pick up whenever he felt like. </p>
<p>A tear rolled down her cheek, and Cordelia saw him take in a shuddering breath. She paid no attention to it. “You should leave.”</p>
<p>“Cordelia…”</p>
<p>She choked back a sob, taking one last look at him before turning away. “Please, leave.”</p>
<p>When she didn’t hear his footsteps, she knew he was still standing behind her. She was going to tell him to leave again when he seemed to read her mind, and the sound of the door closing made her let out a cry. She stood deadly still, hands covering her mouth as she tried to compose herself-- then the sound of someone clearing their throat made her jump in surprise.<br/>She had forgotten about Harry. </p>
<p>Cordelia wiped her eyes hastily with the backs of her hands, forcing a smile onto her face as he made his way toward her. “I’m sorry, I forgot you were here…” </p>
<p>“Are you alright?” He asked her, a look of concern lacing his features. </p>
<p>“I’m fine,” She tried to smile up at him, but it faltered as her lip quivered and more tears spilled down her face. </p>
<p>( Cordelia never cried. She didn’t remember the last time tears had fallen down her face like a waterfall: she didn’t cry when Max had died-- she was too busy looking out for herself, making sure she wouldn’t be next. She was ashamed that her breaking point wasn’t with the death of her brother, but with the stupid, stupid conversation with a boy. But, she knew, deep down, that there were many underlying factors to this, and that more would soon be thrown in her direction. The thought made her cry even harder. )</p>
<p>Harry wrapped his arms around her, and she stiffened against his touch. He held onto her as she cried, allowing the drops of water to fall onto his sweater as her breaths became heavier. Slowly but surely her body relaxed, and soon her sobs had been reduced to mere sniffles, and she released herself from his grip.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry,” she said, a sad laugh leaving her lips as she palmed her forehead. “I usually try to keep this to myself--”</p>
<p>“No, don’t apologize,” Harry cut in, reaching out an arm to gently pat her shoulder. She stiffened again, but this time she calmed quicker than she had before. “It’s not your fault.”</p>
<p>She gave him a sad smile and turned her head away. “I know that. It’s just… I don’t know. I’m sorry, I should go. Thanks for the meeting.”</p>
<p>“I’ll walk you back,” he offered, his emerald eyes glittering in the light of the lamps all around the room. </p>
<p>“No, that’s okay,” Cordelia let out a small sigh and looked towards the door where Zacharias had just left seconds before. “You’ll be caught, I don’t want to cause you any trouble. After getting banned from Quidditch, I don’t think you need any more stress.” Another fake smile bloomed on her lips, hiding the pain behind her eyes. “Have a good night, Harry.”</p>
<p>She went to turn, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. “I won’t get caught,” Harry said, and she swore she could feel his pulse against her fingertips. He let go of her hand and fumbled in his pockets for a moment before pulling out an empty sheet of parchment. “I have this.”</p>
<p>“Why would a piece of paper help you?” she questioned, letting out a watery laugh. </p>
<p>He muttered something under his breath and tapped it with his wand, and words began to form, and even though she was standing quite a few steps away from it, she could tell it was a map. “It shows me where everyone is. Trust me, we’ll be fine. I’ll walk you.”</p>
<p>“I can’t ask you to do that,” she told him, shaking her head and stepping back on her heel. </p>
<p>“Then don’t,” Harry shrugged, and he started walking towards the door. “Just think of it as a thank you.”</p>
<p>“For what?” she queried, following him out of the room. Glancing behind her shoulder she saw the door vanish, closing in on itself until there was nothing but solid wall. Their footsteps echoed in the corridor as they walked together in the direction of the dungeons, the light of the torches creating their shadow. </p>
<p>“The astronomy tower,” he said, glancing down at the map. She was impressed by it, she truly was. How did he make it? Did Granger help him? She wouldn’t have been surprised if that had been the case. “It helped to lighten my mood. I’ve gone up there nearly every night, now. Fresh air helps.”</p>
<p>Cordelia dipped her head. “Yeah, it does. I’m glad you enjoy it as much as I do.”</p>
<p>A moment of quiet erupted between them as they were both lost for words. She racked her brains for something to say, but was fortunately saved by Harry breaking the silence, and she let out a grateful breath. “Do you have much planned for the holidays?”</p>
<p>“Oh, no,” she said, waving a hand. “We usually have a family gathering on Christmas Eve at Winnie’s, but other than that, no, I don’t. You?”</p>
<p>“I’ll probably end up staying here,” Harry said with the shrug of his shoulders as they stepped down the moving staircase. She was too busy looking at him to notice that one of the steps vanished, and her foot fell through the cap, getting the wind knocked out of her. Harry grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back up, and they looked at each other for a moment before they started laughing, and for a moment, she felt okay.</p>
<p>Everything was going to be okay. </p>
<p>“As I was saying,” Harry said with residual laughter, “I’ll probably stay here. Or go with the Weasley’s, like I usually do. I don’t know yet, we’ll see.”</p>
<p>“Do you not go home?” she asked him, genuinely wondering. She knew he lived with his aunt and uncle after his parents’ death, but she didn’t know what he did when he wasn’t at Hogwarts. <br/>“They’re not really the best people, if you know what I mean.”</p>
<p>“Are they…. Do they hurt you?” </p>
<p>Harry sucked in a breath, obviously unsure how to answer that question. She knew that it would be a yes, and she felt a pain in her chest— Pity. </p>
<p>“No, they don’t.” He said finally, stuffing a free hand in his pockets as they rounded the corner. </p>
<p>“Harry…” She reached out to touch his arm. </p>
<p>“It’s okay, I don’t have to see them until the summer,” he said, forcing a smile onto his face. “I barely interact with them when I’m there, anyway.” </p>
<p>Cordelia removed her hand from his arm and tucked it in between the fabrics of her robes, drawing into herself as the chill night surrounded her. She noticed Harry walk slightly further away before, and she sensed she had touched a nerve.</p>
<p>Well done, Cordelia, you’ve managed to make him uncomfortable!</p>
<p>As they walked down another set of stairs, this time making sure she didn’t fall through a vanishing step, Harry cursed under his breath and shook out the map. “Shit!”</p>
<p>“What?” She whispered, surprised when he pulled her back behind a statue. He gripped her arm so tight she swore a bruise could have been formed at that very moment. “Ouch!”</p>
<p>“Sorry, sorry!” Harry apologized quickly, letting go of her. He showed her a moving spot on the map, and her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw the name— Severus Snape. “He’s coming this way! Be quiet.”</p>
<p>“There isn’t enough room behind this for the two of us,” she hissed at him, rubbing her eyes as she looked at him. “Does it look like I’ve been crying?”</p>
<p>He stared blankly at her for a moment. “What?”</p>
<p>“Does it look like I’ve been crying?” She asked again, and he blinked, coming to his senses.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” </p>
<p>“Good.” She stepped out from behind the stature, just before Severus Snape rounded the corner in front of her, and his eyes narrowed. She audibly sniffled, the plan forming right before her eyes.<br/>“Ms. Flint,” said Professor Snape, coming to a halt in front of her. She felt a tear roll down her cheek (she couldn’t tell if it was residual from before or a fake one, but she didn’t care). “Would you like to explain why you’re out past curfew?” </p>
<p>“I’m sorry, professor,” she said, forcing a tone of pain into her voice. “I know it’s late, but I got in a fight with my cousin back over at Gryffindor tower…” </p>
<p>He raised an eyebrow, and she felt the prodding of him trying to enter her mind. She narrowed her eyes, blocking him out, and after a moment he stopped. </p>
<p>“Is there something you’d like to tell me?” he drawled, and she swore she could hear a faint intake of breath from where Harry was standing behind the statue. </p>
<p>“I’m really sorry professor,” she pretended to cry into her hands, and she knew it was pretty convincing, for her godfather stepped back slightly. “I promise I won’t be out this late again.” <br/>He stared her down for a split second before nodding his head. “I won’t take house points for this, Miss Flint, but I will not hesitate to do so next time, do you understand?” </p>
<p>“Yes, professor.”</p>
<p>He didn’t bother to say before he continued to walk down the hallway in the opposite direction, and she let out a sigh of relief.</p>
<p>That was a close one.</p>
<p>When his footsteps were out of earshot, she rushed to behind the statue and tapped Harry on the shoulder. He looked over to her, and instead of the slight grimace that took over his face previously, there was a grin in its place. “That was brilliant!” He whispered loudly as they set off towards the dungeons once more. </p>
<p>“I’m a good liar,” she said with a small smile, shrugging her shoulders. </p>
<p>Harry chuckled as the stairs descending into the dungeons loomed into view. “I just hope you won’t lie to me because I wouldn’t be able to tell.”</p>
<p>“I’m not planning on it.” </p>
<p>She came to a stop outside the common room door, and she looked up at him, having to tilt her head back in order to see his whole face. “Well, thank you for walking me back.” </p>
<p>“Of course,” Harry replied. They stood there awkwardly for a minute before he cleared his throat, averting eye contact and stepping backward towards the staircase. “Have a goodnight.”</p>
<p>“You too, Harry,” Cordelia said, and she smiled at him, a true one this time. She felt calm, more at ease than she had been since even before her fight with Zach. “I’ll see you tomorrow?” </p>
<p>“Yeah, you will,” he answered, and his lips twitched slightly. “Night.” </p>
<p>She watched him leave, and she felt her insides loosen, as if they had been tied into a knot. Cordelia didn’t know when or how it happened, but as she entered her house room and into her dormitory, she knew it was because of him— everything was because of him.</p>
<p>Her flushed cheeks when she looked in the mirror.</p>
<p>The tingling feeling in her fingertips.</p>
<p>The way her hands shook as if she had been holding something so tightly for too long. </p>
<p>The thumping in her chest.</p>
<p>The way her face burned, feeling like a hot fire when she pressed her hands against her cheeks. </p>
<p>Sleep greeted her that night, but not after keeping her awake with the rushing feeling that took over her body.</p>
<p>Be still, my beating heart.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. beating heart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cordelia often wondered about the inner workings of the world. </p><p>Was there something keeping it going? Some higher being that spun the Earth on its axis, shining light on those who inhabited it? Was that said something good, or evil?</p><p>If there was something, she supposed it would be neither. She doubted that a 'higher being' even existed, anyway, because why would there be such a big divide between the Wizard and Muggle worlds that caused a deafening, bloody war? She didn't understand. She didn't want to understand, but she could always continue to wonder. </p><p>But she didn't like the places her mind went when she was alone. </p><p>That's why she depended so heavily on those around her, most relevant being Theodore Nott and Claire Tamashiro, and, of course, Winifred Bulstrode. The three were the sole things keeping her grounded, and she sometimes felt that she had nothing left to live for-- they truly were her lifeline. </p><p>That tied into her frequent thoughts: would a higher being really go so far to make her suffer? Or was it just the way life was? The bodies of everyone she had loved behind her in a line that stretched miles, the background noise of everything she had ever done wrong floating aimlessly around her head, worries of the future ripping away at any good feeling she had? </p><p>Someone's snapping fingers brought her out of her trance, and she blinked, looking up into Theodore Nott's face as he looked down at her, face bright but eyes filled with concern. "You good?"</p><p>"Oh," Cordelia coughed, shaking her head to rid herself of the grim images in her head. "Yes, I'm fine. Just spaced out for a minute, that's all." </p><p>"You looked worlds away," Claire Tamashiro joked from beside her, weaving strands of her dark hair together into a long braid. She tied it off at the end, and then reached for the small, orange pin that was in Theo's hands; the phoenix feather pin that she never went anywhere without. Cordelia smiled slightly as the girl fastened it to the top of her head. </p><p>"No, don't worry. I'm okay," She assured them, waving her hand to dismiss it. </p><p>"You better be," replied Claire with a slight frown, brushing her hands against the pleats of her skirt. Cordelia wondered briefly how she was wearing a skirt in the cold weather before the girl said, "Wouldn't want you feeling down on our last day of school, would we?" </p><p>"Definitely not," Cordelia agreed with a laugh. She drew into herself, the sudden but not unexpected breeze sending a shiver down her body. Even though the sun was shining directly on them, it was winter, and the cold weather had made the atmosphere like ice. A small layer of snow laid on the stone courtyard like a blanket, reflecting the sun's light by their feet. She stuffed her hands into the lined pockets of her robes. "I guess we'll be free of Umbridge soon, won't we?"</p><p>Theo snorted and shifted his weight, running a hand through his brown locks.  "I'll be so fucking happy to get out of her classroom. Did I tell you she asked me to join her Squad or whatever the hell it's called?"</p><p>Her mouth dropped open in surprise. "She did?"</p><p>"What, you don't think I'm cool enough to join your 'gang'?" Theo retorted with a pout, feigning ill as he placed a hand over his heart. "I'm offended."</p><p>"Don't worry, Theo," Claire piped up, standing up on her tip-toes to cup his face in her hands. "I think you're pretty damn cool."</p><p>Smirking, Theo patted her head, and Claire lowered herself back down to the floor. "Thanks, Clairo."</p><p>"For the record, the Inquisitorial Squad isn't as exciting as you might think," Cordelia chided, rolling her eyes slightly as Theo looked down at her. "I mean, I doubt you would think this it's exciting, but it's basically a way for the bitch to give all the bullies special privileges. I mean, I'm not a bully, but, you know what I mean. Draco's there, my cousin is there--"</p><p>"Why is Winnie there?" Theo cut in, eyes widening at the prospect that the love of his life was involved in Umbridge's regime.</p><p>"No, you dolt," Cordelia smacked him on the shoulder and gave him a look. "Did you forget that Winnie has a sister?"</p><p>Realization dawned in Theo's eyes and his cheeks reddened as Claire burst into giggles, covering her hand with her mouth. The brunette choked back a laugh, watching Theo as he seemed to recoil into himself with self-consciousness. "She's in our house! How could you forget?" </p><p>Theo rubbed the back of his neck and gave her an apologetic smile, but when he opened his mouth to retaliate, a familiar voice sounded from behind them, and his eyes visibly became brighter as he straightened. "My lovely future wife, isn't she stunning?" </p><p>Cordelia rolled his eyes as he draped his arm across her shoulders, but instead of leaning into his embrace, Winnie shrugged him off and shot him a glare, prompting him to wink at her.</p><p>"Anyway," Winnie said shortly, looking back at her cousin and the girl who stood beside her. "Claire, your hair looks lovely," She greeted, smiling slightly before she turned to Cordelia, her hands stuffed in her pockets. "Mind if I speak to you for a moment?" </p><p>Nodding, Cordelia looked back to Claire and Theo as she joined Winnie to an alcove close by to where they had been standing just moments prior. </p><p>"What's this about?" she asked, and a sudden wave of concern washed over her. Marcus had said to keep an eye out for the girl, was this something about her being in trouble? It didn't sit well with her, and she knew in the pit of her stomach as she watched the girl, that something was wrong. But would Winnie say anything, anyway? Cordelia knew her cousin had a history of keeping her problems under wraps. </p><p>"I know it's early, and well, we usually do this at the party at the Manor, but well," Winnie paused as she took something out of her pockets. Two compact mirrors lay in the palms of her hands, one blue and one purple. She slipped the blue one in between her fingers and held it out for Cordelia to take. "Merry Christmas." She finished, tilting her lips up into an unconvincing smile. </p><p>"A compact?" The brunette probed, raising an eyebrow as she took the object gingerly from between Winnie's fingers. She rolled her eyes, taking out her wand from beneath the pockets of her robes and flipping open the violet compact.</p><p>"Well, what are you waiting for? Repeat what I'm doing," Winnie instructed, narrowing her eyes as Cordelia narrowed her own. They stared at each other for a moment before she did as told, flipping open her compact and taking out her wand. </p><p>"Okay, now, tap your wand against the compact and say patentibus," Winnie said, doing what the words had said. Cordelia did the same, and not a moment passed before a small gasp escaped her lips, and, instead of looking at her reflection, she was staring at the underside of Winnie's pale face as the mirror glimmered slightly. </p><p>"I know it isn't much, but, well, I thought it would be an easier way for us to talk," Winnie stated, shrugging her shoulders as she shut her own mirror. </p><p>"This is brilliant, Winnie," Cordelia gushed, the corner of her lips pulling upward into a minute smile. "That's so much easier than owls. And quicker, too," she added with a laugh, and Winnie snorted in response. "But is there a reason you're giving me this now?" </p><p>Winnie's eyes widened slightly and they glazed over, and Cordelia watched what she believed was a mental battle that raged inside her cousin's head. She remained dazed for a few moments, seemingly lost for words, before she shook her head and smiled a smile that Cordelia used all too well to hide her true feelings. </p><p>"No, not at all," she said, and Cordelia nodded, watching her with uneasy eyes as they said their goodbyes. Watching the girl's retreating back, she wondered for a moment what had just happened-- she wished she was better at Legilimency so she could get a better read on Winifred Bulstrode's mind. But she hoped it would never come to that, and Winnie would trust her enough to tell her what she was hiding. </p><p>The girl she had considered her lifeline was becoming distant, and Cordelia could feel the trust that had taken them years to build began to crumble at her feet, and felt a feeling in her stomach that made her feel that way, too. </p><p>Falling, falling, falling down until she would eventually break into pieces. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Stupefy!"</p><p>Cordelia was blasted backward, her back landing hard against the hard ground. She winced as she brought herself back up off the ground, shooting a glare at her cousin as she stood, grinning proudly. </p><p>"Next time give me a heads up, will you?" She said bitterly, rubbing her hip where a sharp pain was now radiating. </p><p>"The point of the spell is to catch you off guard, Cor," said Winnie with a smirk, clapping Cordelia on the shoulder as the latter glared. "Be more on lockdown next time, yeah?"</p><p>"Like there'll be a next time," Cordelia grumbled as Harry blew his whistle to get their attention. She looked over to him, where he was standing beside Ron (who was looking quite proud of himself). He cleared his throat, and everyone who hadn't turned to look at him did so. </p><p>"Well, good job everyone!" He announced, and a murmur of agreement and people congratulating each other for their good work rang out in the room. "I'll see you all after Christmas, we'll let you know when the next meeting is when we get back."</p><p>Chatter erupted, and everyone started grouping up into their groups so they could leave. As Cordelia stood, she felt the feeling of someone's hand on her elbow, turning her to look at them. She was prepared to look at Winnie, and she had her mouth open to snap at her again for knocking her back so hard, but she instead was staring up into the face of Zacharias, whose eyes were clouded with an emotion she couldn't read. </p><p>"Can we talk?" he asked under his breath as everyone started filing out. Catching Winnie's eye, she pulled her arm out of his grasp but he held on tighter. "Please?"</p><p>"Let go of me," she snarled at him, finally yanking herself free from him. She went to turn on her heel and leave him alone, but he grabbed her again by her shoulders and made her face him. </p><p>"Please, it's important," he begged, eyes boring into hers as she tried to wriggle herself out of her constraints. </p><p>"Let me go and I'll think about it," Cordelia hissed, and after a moment, he reluctantly let go of her shoulders. She rubbed them, but instead of following her gut and leaving him, she stayed rooted to the spot, looking up into his face. "What do you want from me?"</p><p>Zach studied her, eyes flickering across her face. She stood her ground, folding her arms over her chest, flinching again when she shifted her weight, pain shooting from her hip. She gritted her teeth as he spoke. "There's something I need to tell you."</p><p>She snorted, sucking her teeth as she avoided eye contact. "What, about how 'sorry' you are? Please. Save it for someone who cares."</p><p>His jaw tightened, and she knew she had hit a nerve. Cordelia wanted to leave, leave the room before she could get herself any deeper, but she knew by the look on his face that this was a conversation they needed to have. She had known him since she was eleven, and she had once cared about him more than anything, and deep down she felt like falling back into his arms and accepting every apology she had to offer.</p><p>But that was the old her. </p><p>Times had changed. </p><p>"Cordelia, I'm--" He started, but she cut him off. </p><p>"Sorry? You should be." She snapped, her face flushing with frustration. </p><p>His face glowed red, and his grey eyes became stormy. "Just fucking hear me out, Cor!"</p><p>"You don't have the right to call me Cor anymore, Zacharias," Cordelia chided, tilting her head away from him. "The moment you cheated on me was when you lost that privilege."</p><p>"I know, and I'm so, so sorry," he said, lowering his voice. </p><p>From the sound of the room, or rather lack of, she knew it was empty. But from the corner of her eye, she saw Harry watching them, eyes trained on Zacharias as he pretended to adjust the different pieces of furniture in the room. That's when she remembered that he had to be the last one to leave, so the room could close properly. She cursed herself, feeling more exposed than ever. </p><p>"Stop." She told the blonde, holding out her palm as she raised her head to look at him. "Stop. You can't do that to me, Zacharias. You can't."</p><p>"I'm trying to apologize--"</p><p>"For breaking my heart?" Her voice was softer now, but there was an undertone of harshness laced within her words. Staring up into his familiar eyes made memories upon memories rush through her mind, one after the other, from a time where they were happy. Her own eyes began to water, and she looked away, blinking. "You're going to need to try a hell of a lot harder."</p><p>"If you would just listen--"</p><p>"I have no obligation to listen to you." Her voice broke. "You don't know the damage you caused, okay? You don't."</p><p>"I want to fix it," he said, and when she looked back over to him, his own eyes were watering. How the hell could he be feeling upset at this moment? He was the one who ruined everything, who made her feel like she was worthless. Like he was using her as a plaything, like a toy he could pick up whenever he felt like. </p><p>A tear rolled down her cheek, and Cordelia saw him take in a shuddering breath. She paid no attention to it. "You should leave."</p><p>"Cordelia..."</p><p>She choked back a sob, taking one last look at him before turning away. "Please, leave."</p><p>When she didn't hear his footsteps, she knew he was still standing behind her. She was going to tell him to leave again when he seemed to read her mind, and the sound of the door closing made her let out a cry. She stood deadly still, hands covering her mouth as she tried to compose herself-- then the sound of someone clearing their throat made her jump in surprise.</p><p>She had forgotten about Harry. </p><p>Cordelia wiped her eyes hastily with the backs of her hands, forcing a smile onto her face as he made his way toward her. "I'm sorry, I forgot you were here..." </p><p>"Are you alright?" He asked her, a look of concern lacing his features. </p><p>"I'm fine," She tried to smile up at him, but it faltered as her lip quivered and more tears spilled down her face. </p><p>( Cordelia never cried. She didn't remember the last time tears had fallen down her face like a waterfall: she didn't cry when Max had died-- she was too busy looking out for herself, making sure she wouldn't be next. She was ashamed that her breaking point wasn't with the death of her brother, but with the stupid, stupid conversation with a boy. But, she knew, deep down, that there were many underlying factors to this, and that more would soon be thrown in her direction. The thought made her cry even harder. )</p><p>Harry wrapped his arms around her, and she stiffened against his touch. He held onto her as she cried, allowing the drops of water to fall onto his sweater as her breaths became heavier. Slowly but surely her body relaxed, and soon her sobs had been reduced to mere sniffles, and she released herself from his grip.</p><p>"I'm sorry," she said, a sad laugh leaving her lips as she palmed her forehead. "I usually try to keep this to myself--"</p><p>"No, don't apologize," Harry cut in, reaching out an arm to gently pat her shoulder. She stiffened again, but this time she calmed quicker than she had before. "It's not your fault."</p><p>She gave him a sad smile and turned her head away. "I know that. It's just... I don't know. I'm sorry, I should go. Thanks for the meeting."</p><p>"I'll walk you back," he offered, his emerald eyes glittering in the light of the lamps all around the room. </p><p>"No, that's okay," Cordelia let out a small sigh and looked towards the door where Zacharias had just left seconds before. "You'll be caught, I don't want to cause you any trouble. After getting banned from Quidditch, I don't think you need any more stress." Another fake smile bloomed on her lips, hiding the pain behind her eyes. "Have a good night, Harry."</p><p>She went to turn, but he grabbed her hand and pulled her back. "I won't get caught," Harry said, and she swore she could feel his pulse against her fingertips. He let go of her hand and fumbled in his pockets for a moment before pulling out an empty sheet of parchment. "I have this."</p><p>"Why would a piece of paper help you?" she questioned, letting out a watery laugh. </p><p>He muttered something under his breath and tapped it with his wand, and words began to form, and even though she was standing quite a few steps away from it, she could tell it was a map. "It shows me where everyone is. Trust me, we'll be fine. I'll walk you."</p><p>"I can't ask you to do that," she told him, shaking her head and stepping back on her heel. </p><p>"Then don't," Harry shrugged, and he started walking towards the door. "Just think of it as a thank you."</p><p>"For what?" she queried, following him out of the room. Glancing behind her shoulder she saw the door vanish, closing in on itself until there was nothing but the solid stone wall. Their footsteps echoed in the corridor as they walked together in the direction of the dungeons, the light of the torches creating a shadow that kissed the walls.</p><p>"The astronomy tower," he said, glancing down at the map. She was impressed by it, she truly was. How did he make it? Did Granger help him? She wouldn't have been surprised if that had been the case. "I've gone up there nearly every night, now. Fresh air helps."</p><p>Cordelia dipped her head. "Yeah, it does. I'm glad you enjoy it as much as I do."</p><p>A moment of quiet erupted between them as they were both lost for words. She racked her brains for something to say but was fortunately saved by Harry breaking the silence, and she let out a grateful breath. "Do you have much planned for the holidays?"</p><p>"Oh, no," she said, waving a hand. "We usually have a family gathering on Christmas Eve at Winnie's, but other than that, no, I don't. You?"</p><p>"I'll probably end up staying here," Harry said with the shrug of his shoulders as they stepped down the moving staircase. She was too busy looking at him to notice that one of the steps vanished, and her foot fell through the cap, getting the wind knocked out of her. Harry grabbed her by the arms and pulled her back up, and they looked at each other for a moment before they started laughing, and for a moment, she felt okay.</p><p>Everything was going to be okay. </p><p>"As I was saying," Harry said with residual laughter, "I'll probably stay here. Or go with the Weasley's, like I usually do. I don't know yet, we'll see."</p><p>"Do you not go home?" she asked him, genuinely wondering. She knew he lived with his aunt and uncle after his parents' death, but she didn't know what he did when he wasn't at Hogwarts. </p><p>"They're not really the best people, if you know what I mean."</p><p>"Are they.... Do they hurt you?" </p><p>Harry sucked in a breath, obviously unsure how to answer that question. She knew that it would be a yes, and she felt a pain in her chest— Pity. </p><p>"No, they don't." He said finally, stuffing a free hand in his pockets as they rounded the corner. </p><p>"Harry..." She reached out to touch his arm. </p><p>"It's okay, I don't have to see them until the summer," he said, forcing a smile onto his face. "I barely interact with them when I'm there, anyway." </p><p>Cordelia removed her hand from his arm and tucked it in between the fabrics of her robes, drawing into herself as the chill night surrounded her. She noticed Harry walk slightly further away before, and she sensed she had touched a nerve.</p><p>Well done, Cordelia, you've managed to make him uncomfortable!</p><p>As they walked down another set of stairs, this time making sure she didn't fall through a vanishing step, Harry cursed under his breath and shook out the map. "Shit!"</p><p>"What?" She whispered, surprised when he pulled her back behind a statue. He gripped her arm so tight she swore a bruise could have been formed at that very moment. "Ouch!"</p><p>"Sorry, sorry!" Harry apologized quickly, letting go of her. He showed her a moving spot on the map, and her heart dropped into her stomach when she saw the name— Severus Snape. "He's coming this way! Be quiet."</p><p>"There isn't enough room behind this for the two of us," she hissed at him, rubbing her eyes as she looked at him. "Does it look like I've been crying?"</p><p>He stared blankly at her for a moment. "What?"</p><p>"Does it look like I've been crying?" She asked again, and he blinked, coming to his senses.</p><p>"Yeah." </p><p>"Good." She stepped out from behind the statue, just before Severus Snape rounded the corner in front of her, and his eyes narrowed. She audibly sniffled, the plan forming right before her eyes.</p><p>"Ms. Flint," said Professor Snape, coming to a halt in front of her. She felt a tear roll down her cheek (she couldn't tell if it was residual from before or a fake one, but she didn't care). "Would you like to explain why you're out past curfew?" </p><p>"I'm sorry, professor," she said, forcing a tone of pain into her voice. "I know it's late, but I got in a fight with my cousin back over at Gryffindor tower..." </p><p>He raised an eyebrow, and she felt the prodding of him trying to enter her mind. She narrowed her eyes, blocking him out, and after a moment he stopped. </p><p>"Is there something you'd like to tell me?" he drawled, and she swore she could hear a faint intake of breath from where Harry was standing behind the statue. </p><p>"I'm really sorry professor," she pretended to cry into her hands, and she knew it was pretty convincing, for her godfather stepped back slightly. "I promise I won't be out this late again." </p><p>He stared her down for a split second before nodding his head. "I won't take house points for this, Miss Flint, but I will not hesitate to do so next time, do you understand?" </p><p>"Yes, professor."</p><p>He didn't bother to say before he continued to walk down the hallway in the opposite direction, and she let out a sigh of relief.</p><p>That was a close one.</p><p>When his footsteps were out of earshot, she rushed to behind the statue and tapped Harry on the shoulder. He looked over to her, and instead of the slight grimace that took over his face previously, there was a grin in its place. "That was brilliant!" He whispered loudly as they set off towards the dungeons once more. </p><p>"I'm a good liar," she said with a small smile, shrugging her shoulders. </p><p>Harry chuckled as the stairs descending into the dungeons loomed into view. "I just hope you won't lie to me because I wouldn't be able to tell."</p><p>"I'm not planning on it." </p><p>She came to a stop outside the common room door, and she looked up at him, having to tilt her head back in order to see his whole face. "Well, thank you for walking me back." </p><p>"Of course," Harry replied. They stood there awkwardly for a minute before he cleared his throat, averting eye contact and stepping back towards the staircase. "Have a goodnight."</p><p>"You too, Harry," Cordelia said, and she smiled at him, a true one this time. She felt calm, more at ease than she had been since even before her fight with Zach. "I'll see you tomorrow?" </p><p>"Yeah, you will," he answered, and his lips twitched slightly. "Night." </p><p>She watched him leave, and she felt her insides loosen as if they had been tied into a knot. Cordelia didn't know when or how it happened, but as she entered her house room and into her dormitory, she knew it was because of him— everything was because of him.</p><p>Her flushed cheeks when she looked in the mirror.</p><p>The tingling feeling in her fingertips.</p><p>The way her hands shook as if she had been holding something so tightly for too long. </p><p>The thumping in her chest.</p><p>The way her face burned, feeling like hot fire when she pressed her hands against her cheeks. </p><p>Sleep greeted her that night, but not after keeping her awake with the rushing feeling that took over her body.</p><p>Be still, my beating heart. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. back home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The next morning came quickly, and before she knew it, the light was streaming in through her dormitory windows, bouncing off the clear water of the Lake. Cordelia shifted under her covers, aware that she was now not the only one awake-- the shuffling of people packing sounded from the opposite end of the room, and when she opened her eyes warily, she saw Claire's bed already made, trunk sitting atop it, it's owner missing. </p><p>"You're awake!" Daphne exclaimed, and Cordelia looked over to where she was sitting on top of her trunk trying to get it closed. "Goodmorning."</p><p>"Morning," she yawned back, sitting up straight in her bed. "Where's Claire?"</p><p>"She's down at breakfast already," Pansy said, slipping on a pair of shoes. The strands of her dark hair that usually framed her face were pinned to the back of her head and her lips were painted a pink that stuck out against her pale skin. "She's been up since the crack of dawn, I swear."</p><p>Cordelia hummed in response, getting up out of her four-poster. She had never been good about packing the night before, and her stuff was strewn across the floor around her bed. She grimaced slightly at the sight of it before finding her way to the bathroom, ignoring the sounds of chattering voices coming from every direction. </p><p>Cordelia showered and got herself ready for the day, weaving the strands of her dark hair into a braid that fell to the middle of her back. A few strands escaped and fell on the sides of her face like a curtain, and her lips twisted up into a small smile as she looked at her reflection. </p><p>Pushing open the door to her dormitory upon her return, the room was empty, aside from the large trunks sitting on each of her roommate's beds. She let out a sigh, looking from the relatively clean side of the dorm and then back to the one she shared with Claire. Stepping over the multiple pairs of shoes she had lying on the ground, she sat down on her bed and looked out the window, directly into the center of the dark Lake. </p><p>It was a beautiful sight, really. The horror stories of the merpeople and other aquatic creatures that lived in the lake didn't bother her, and she often liked to watch them, admiring their odd allure as they swam through the forest of kelp. </p><p>A mermaid stopped in front of her, gazing into the castle, dark eyes gleaming with curiosity. Cordelia pressed her hand up against the glass, and the mermaid tilted their head as they lifted their own fin up to meet the girl's palm on the other side of the windowpane. She observed the mermaid, watching their eyes move back and forth as it examined the room with desire. And then, suddenly, they jumped away, and they were swimming off in the other direction as though they had been face-to-face with their worst fear. </p><p>"Always this friendly with merpeople, eh?"</p><p>Cordelia jumped, her heart practically leaping out of her throat as she spun around to face Theo Nott, who was clearly trying too hard not to laugh at her surprise. </p><p>"What the-- what are you-- how did you get up here?" She stuttered, blue eyes darting from the door and back to him multiple times. </p><p>He let out a low laugh and sat down on her other side. "Not all boys have bad intentions, you know."</p><p>Cordelia "That doesn't answer my question."</p><p>Theo smiled wryly. "Well, dearest Cor, the stairs can tell if a boy has good intentions or not. If they don't, it turns into a slide. If they do, they let us up. But most don't even try anymore, obviously, or I have a feeling more would've tried to come up here."</p><p>"Interesting," Cordelia crossed her legs and looked back out the window. "Why are you here, exactly?"</p><p>Theo shrugged his shoulders. "Just thought I'd come up and see where you were, Claire's gone off somewhere and I would be sitting with Blaise if it weren't for Draco snapping at everyone."</p><p>"I don't know what you have against him," She picked at her cuticles, feeling her best friend's eyes on her. "He's really not that bad."</p><p>"He's not that bad, really?" Theo scoffed and threw his head back. "I think you've gotten him mixed up with someone else, Cor. Honestly."</p><p>"I'm being serious! He's not--"</p><p>"He's a stuck-up prat, that's what he is," Theo cut in, voice harsher than Cordelia believed he had intended. They stared at each other for a moment, both caught off guard by his tone, before he cleared his throat and turned his head away. "I'm pretty sure your cousin is falling for me, by the way."</p><p>The sudden change in topic made her realize that Draco Malfoy was a tough subject for him-- she didn't know why, and although she wanted to know, she dropped it, not allowing her comment to roll off her tongue. Instead, she pursed her lips: "And why is that?"</p><p>"We spent the night together," Theo looked back to her with a smirk on his face. "Room of Requirement sure is nice, isn't it?"</p><p>Cordelia choked on her saliva. "What--"</p><p>"Not like that," He chuckled, disproving the thought that entered her mind. "I won't say anymore."</p><p>"You," She smiled coyly, and she hit him on the arm. "You-- don't mess with me like that! Now I need to know!"</p><p>Theo simply grinned his pearly white smile. "Sorry, love, you'll have to ask her!"</p><p>"Like she would tell me," She scoffed, the smile fading from her face. She stood up from her spot on the bed. She thought she should really start packing soon, so she waved her wand to pick up her belongings from the floor, muttering the charm under her breath as they flew into the open trunk that lay at her feet. "I feel like she's been hiding things from me lately."</p><p>Theo raised an eyebrow, also standing up as the bed magically made itself. "Oh, really?"</p><p>Cordelia nodded. "It's nothing, though. Really. It's probably just her being anxious. She worries a lot. Usually over nothing."</p><p>"I know." </p><p>"You do?"</p><p>"Yeah. We're friends," He said.</p><p>"You're friends."</p><p>"That's what I just said."</p><p>"I don't recall her ever telling me you were a friend," She said, the corners of her lips twitching slightly as she shut her trunk with a click. Theo helped her lift it onto her bed. "She just tells me how much of an insufferable hellion you are."</p><p>Theo's eyes twinkled, and she felt a warmth in her chest. He loved her cousin, he truly did. That made her happy, because if he was happy, she was, too. </p><p>But then the sinking feeling came again, and she remembered that Winnie might just break his heart. And she was afraid that, if that was the case, she would lose them both. </p><p>Pushing the feeling down, she gave him a tight-lipped smile as he said adoringly, "I'm going to marry her one day."</p><p>Cordelia wanted to warn him that getting involved with Winifred Bulstrode might just be the best and worst decision of his life, but she didn't.</p><p>She wouldn't. </p><p>She couldn't. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The carriages were waiting, as usual, out in the courtyard, the familiar black horses bringing them to a halt. Cordelia knew what it meant if you could see them-- that you've seen death right in front of your eyes. She avoided thinking about it as she stroked the closest one's silky black mane. Its cream-colored, blank eyes stared at her, and she felt a chill run through her body before she tore her eyes away, and she hopped on to the carriage.</p><p>Theo hopped in next, followed by Claire, who had met up with them at breakfast after having had a last-minute Quidditch practice with a few members of the team early that morning. "Adrian was practically letting me beat him," she had said at breakfast, gloating about her many, many victories. "It was easy."</p><p>Breakfast had been a... well, interesting meal, to say the least. Cordelia had hoped to see Harry once more, but he was gone. It seemed, at least for a few minutes, that he was just running late, but when Hermione Granger had come down alone, looking antsy with obvious dark circles under her eyes, she knew something was wrong. </p><p>It didn't help that the usual crowd of the redheaded Weasley's were missing as well. </p><p>"Look who's coming," Theo grumbled across from her, cocking his head towards the courtyard. Zacharias was walking over to their carriage, and she would've thought he was trying to go for the one just ahead of them if it weren't for his persistent eye contact. She tore her gaze away, hoping against hope that he wouldn't get in.</p><p>Luck was on her side that morning.</p><p>She saw another pair of feet catch up with him, and before she knew it, Winnie, pulling Hermione Granger by the arm, got to the door handle first, causing him to collide with her. With a snarl, she pushed him off her, said something to him that Cordelia didn't catch as Hermione slid in beside her, and then got in herself. She caught sight of Theo and narrowed her eyes at him as a smirk blossomed across his lips, and a look of surprise briefly flashed across her face. </p><p>"Oh, there you are," She addressed Cordelia. Obviously having been about to sit beside Claire on that side of the bench, Winnie changed her mind and wedged herself between her cousin and fellow Lion, who seemed discontented to be sitting in the carriage full of members of her enemy House. </p><p>As Theo, watching her out of the corner of his eye, began to talk, Cordelia leaned over. "Do you know where Harry is?"</p><p>Winnie pursed her lips for a moment, sparing a glance at the muggle-born girl who was staring off into the distance as the carriage rode off through the stony path to the train station. "He left early last night, him and the Weasley family," she said under her breath. </p><p>The brunette's breath hitched. "Do you know why?"</p><p>"Not really, I wasn't in the common room last night," Winnie replied. "I think it's something about the Weasley's father being harmed."</p><p>Cordelia paled and stared at the floor, her eyebrows knitting together in obvious distraught. </p><p>She knew something was wrong. </p><p>It was her fault.</p><p>Every time she was able to get close to someone, even if it was just for a moment, harm always came to them. How? She didn't know. But she couldn't ignore the coincidences anymore, not after it became a prime example as to why everything she knew and loved crumbled at her feet. </p><p>The universe hated her. She knew it. </p><p>Winnie's placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Cor? Is everything okay?" </p><p>"It's just weird, with everything going on with--" she paused suddenly, her head tilting as she comprehended what this conversation would mean. It was the first time they had truly talked this whole year-- not about boys, not about their academics, but about their feelings. </p><p>And that scared her. </p><p>She realized that she was being vulnerable, and she couldn't be. </p><p>Not even around family. </p><p>"Yes?" Winnie questioned, raising an eyebrow as she eyed the rest of the people in the carriage, each unaware of the conversation between the cousins. Cordelia's mouth thinned, eyeing her cousin with eyes that showed no emotion as she tapped her foot against the floor. Then she pulled her lips into an all-too-fake smile. </p><p>"Wait," She paused, her voice louder now and catching the other's attention. This wasn't hard, the carriage was small enough for people's knees to bump against the persons across from them. "Why weren't you at the Gryffindor Common room last night? Where were you?"</p><p>"Nowhere!" Winnie chirped too quickly, her voice an octave too high as she snapped her eyes to Theo, whose lips twisted up into a knowing smirk. Cordelia glanced from one to the other, realizing that what Theo had told her that morning in her dormitory was true, and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry. </p><p>"But I thought you said—" Hermione started, her brown eyes narrowed as turned to look at Winnie, but shut her mouth when Winnie shot her a look. </p><p>"Weird, cause Theo here said that he—," Claire started, her lips tilted into a smirk as she eyed Winnie, who suddenly seemed to become agitated, face flushing slightly pink. </p><p>"I didn't say anything," Theo cut Claire off, causing the girl to raise her eyebrow at him, but didn't say a word further. Winnie began twisting the silver ring on her finger as she looked at Theo, and they stared at each other as they seemed to read each other's mind. Cordelia kept watching her, eyes darting back and forth between them, until landing on the blonde, who turned her head to look at her. </p><p>"What?" Winnie questioned innocently, blinking as Cordelia narrowed her eyes at her for a moment. She thought briefly that now would be a good time to know Legilimency, get inside her cousin's head and understand what was grinding her gears, what was keeping her afloat, and what was keeping her from telling her what was truly on her mind. </p><p>"Nothing," She smiled at her, and then, just like that, the exchange was over. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The Hogwarts Express came to a halt, the steam billowing from the top. Cordelia was glad to be back, to spend a little time back at the place she called home, but deep down she felt uneasy, as if angry butterflies were settled in her stomach. </p><p>The Slytherin trio now stood on the platform, looking over (or around, in Claire and Cordelia's case: Theo was insanely tall) the heads of strangers looking for their parents. Claire had mentioned that there was someone outside her family waiting for her, and Cordelia had expected it to be a family friend, certainly not a group of men in crisp, black suits. </p><p>Cordelia looked over to her with an eyebrow raised, and Claire simply shrugged. "Bodyguards," she said, and she walked towards them. </p><p>Cordelia and Theo followed, the latter's eyes were wide in shock and confusion, stunned silent. "Why do you have bodyguards, exactly?"</p><p>"I'm staying with my aunt for Christmas," Claire replied, but that didn't seem to ease her friend's confusion any less. She rolled her eyes. "Are you forgetting that my aunt is the Japanese Minister of Magic?"</p><p>"You're aunt is Himari Sato?" Theo gaped, staring at the men. </p><p>"I told you this," Claire huffed. </p><p>"I don't recall..." </p><p>Claire gave Cordelia a look that clearly said, is this boy out of his mind? (Yes, yes he is.) She opened her mouth to reply and then seemed to think better of it, shutting it and nodding her head. "I'm... going to go now. Owl me, both of you!" </p><p>She enveloped Cordelia in a one-armed hug, who hugged her back. "Have a good break," she said, and Claire smiled at her. </p><p>"You, too. And you," Claire turned to Theo, who snapped his head back to her. "Behave yourself."</p><p>"You know I always do," He beamed, and he wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "Put in a good word for me with your aunt, will you?"</p><p>"You're hopeless," The brunette chuckled, releasing herself from her hug. She turned away from them and waved her hand goodbye, and then she disappeared with the big men. </p><p>"Has she always gone off with those body people or whatever they're called?" Theo asked as they walked down the platform searching for their own family.</p><p>"Bodyguards," She corrected as she spotted someone she knew. "And no, she hasn't. It must be a new development."</p><p>"There's my father," Theo said suddenly, pointing discreetly towards where his father, Theodore Nott Sr., was deep in conversation with Cordelia's own parents. "With your parents."</p><p>"Fun," She pinched the bridge of her nose as they approached the adults who had caused both pain in their own ways. </p><p>Theo grunted in response as their parents noticed them, and Cordelia saw him put on a mask. He forced a smile onto his face, and she felt herself frown slightly at that. "Father."</p><p>"Theodore."</p><p>An awkward silence ensued, and Cordelia broke it to greet her parents. Emilia Flint embraced her daughter and she felt herself leaning into the hug, not realizing how much she missed her mother's arms. When she let go to say hello to her father, the woman enveloped Theo into a hug as well, and she smiled slightly as Carleton Flint clapped her on the shoulder. </p><p>"Where's your brother?" He asked, not bothering a simple greeting. Typical. It was obvious Marcus had always been favored. </p><p>She grimaced slightly. "He should be coming."</p><p>Sure enough, the eldest Flint appeared at their side, his trunk beside him. He greeted everyone with a nod as Carleton hugged his son. When he released him, their mother cleared her throat. "Well, shall we head home?"</p><p>"I think we'll be off as well," Theodore Nott Sr. told them, ruffling his son's hair. Theo flinched under his touch and Cordelia felt a wrench in her chest, trying to resist the temptation to strangle the old man who looked eerily like her best friend. "I'll see you tomorrow, Carleton."</p><p>"Indeed you will," replied Carelton, his voice so deep and scratchy that always made his daughter's insides churn. </p><p>Cordelia waved to Theo, but he just inclined his head to say goodbye-- he was already being steered away by his father, and he looked extremely forlorn even in the few minutes he had been in the company of Theodore Nott Sr. She wanted to hug him, to tell him everything would be okay, but she couldn't tell him what she knew wasn't true. </p><p>Her mother gripped her hand. She closed her eyes, felt the familiar tug behind her naval and the feeling of being squeezed through a small, narrow tube, and then her feet landed on the landing outside of the Flint family Manor. </p><p>She was home. </p>
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<a name="section0016"><h2>16. broken mirror</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Over the first few days after arriving back at the Flint Manor, Cordelia found herself completely and utterly alone. The manor seemed eerie, the gray walls seeming to give off a sense of dread that settled into the stomach of everyone and anything that passed and making everything seem dull. </p><p>The entire home, if it could even be called that, considering how often its inhabitants were out, did not have the same vibe as it did when she was a child. At that age she thought everything was absolutely magnificent-- the feeling when she would dance in the ballroom, her heels clicking loudly on the tile floor; making snow angels in the garden with her brothers; even an action as simple as eating breakfast at the marble counter seemed tedious. </p><p>She spent her hours beside the fire in her bedroom curled up on the loveseat, a book open in her lap, a record player in the back humming the tunes of The Weird Sisters and other Wizard artists in the background. She would've enjoyed it, as she almost always did, if not for the feeling in her head that made her want to faint with every passing second. </p><p>Marcus and her father had used the fireplace to Floo somewhere the night after they had returned from school. Cordelia had asked to go with them, but was met with a disgruntled 'No!' and not another word. Her mother had gripped her shoulder that night, telling her she would be glad later that she was not there. </p><p>She wouldn't realize how right she was until many months later. </p><p>In their absence, Emilia Flint had decided that they would go out, too-- so they went to the local wizarding town, sat down at a booth inside a fancy restaurant, and ate in silence. Cordelia regretted the quiet, but there was nothing to say, aside from a few shared stories about both their times at Hogwarts School and one or two conversations relating to family. </p><p>It wasn't that memorable if she was being honest, and it made her even less eager to attend the annual Bulstrode Christmas Eve get-together. </p><p>At least Winnie would be there, and Theo too, possibly-- she remembered a time when he was there, once. She didn't remember why, but he was, and that's how their friendship kicked off in the first place. So maybe the party wasn't all too bad, right? </p><p>So, when the night of Christmas Eve loomed over their heads, Cordelia wanted nothing more than to stay confined to her bedroom, doing nothing but continue to read The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde (who most said was a muggle, but she was positive he was a wizard. She was sure of it!) while eating a chocolate cake made by their house-elf Bonky, who was, in fact, the sweetest little creature ever to walk the dirt of the Earth. </p><p>"I've set out a dress for you, darling," Emilia told her that afternoon, through the crack in the door. "The color scheme this year is reds and pinks."</p><p>"Thanks," Cordelia said, voice devoid of any emotion as she strummed the strings of her old guitar she had found buried in the back of her closet. Her mother sighed in defeat, leaving the room. She felt bad, really, pretending her mother didn't exist, but it felt like it-- after Max died, she was never the same. But she knew the woman was trying, and that made her feel even worse.</p><p>She couldn't help it. </p><p>She plucked at the strings, the muscle memory of her old hobby flowing through her fingertips. The song she always loved to play erupted on the instrument, filling her senses with the music that she hadn't heard in years. Her eyes prickled with tears that formed after the memory of Max playing this very same song pushed itself to the front of her mind, and she dropped the guitar, the sound cutting off immediately. </p><p>Cordelia shoved the memory aside and took in a heaving breath, shoving the guitar back into the case and zipping it closed. She wiped at the tears, and when she felt composed, she walked over to where the dress her mother had set out for her hung on the back of her door. </p><p>She ran a hand along the seam, admiring the color and the cut of the dress even though she had decided to ignore her mother about it just moments before. She lifted it off the hanger and held it in front of her, the full-length body mirror showing how it could possibly fit. Smiling slightly, she went to put it on. </p><p>A couple of hours later, the Flints gathered in the sitting room, right in front of the fireplace. Both men were clad in black suits with a red tie fastened around their necks, and the women both dressed in red dresses of different cuts-- Emilia's flowed just narrowly above the floor with a deep neckline with lace trim, and Cordelia's was more skintight, accentuating her natural body. She felt oddly exposed, but it was only for one night, she thought.</p><p>"Is everyone ready?" Carleton spoke, his voice so low it felt like a rumble on the floor. </p><p>They all muttered a 'yes', some voices more strong than others: Marcus spoke in a tone that rivaled his father's, and her mother spoke so softly that she barely understood. </p><p>"Let us go, then," Carleton said, and he reached into the jar filled with the fine green powder, settled himself within the fireplace where a flame would usually burn, and said loudly, "Bulstrode Manor!"</p><p>Then he disappeared within the green fire, and the rest of his family followed suit.</p><p>On the other end of the fire, music ensued, filling the ballroom of the Bulstrode Manor with the austere sound of the floating violins on the other end of the hall and the clear, deep tone of the cello beside it. The familiar scene, one that the Flint girl had seen every year of her life, brought her a slight sense of comfort as what seemed like an invisible person ran the bow across the thin strings. </p><p>The room was full, inhabited by the Bulstrode family itself, a few other guests scattered here and there. She strolled inside, hoping to see the familiar blonde head of Winnie Bulstrode, but the girl wasn't in sight. Cordelia assumed she was out on the balcony or, possibly, up in her quarters, but she would go find her later, once she had completed the task of greeting every member of her family. </p><p>Her feet carried her to the closest member, and when they turned, she found it to be her aunt Agnese, her uncle Elliott's wife. She was from Latvia and, if she was being honest, one of the sweetest, most kind women she had ever met in her life. "Aunt Agnese, hi!"</p><p>"Oh, Cordelia, darling,"  The woman said, brushing a strand of her white-blonde hair out of her eyes. Cordelia kissed both of her cheeks, as custom in the family in greetings. "How are you, my love?"</p><p>This sign of affection made her smile, the first real smile she had let form on her face in days. "I'm good," she replied, her cheeks flushing a pink as the heat of the room began to settle across her skin. "How are you?"</p><p>"I'm fantastic,"  Agnese said, waving a gloved hand. "Where is your mother?" </p><p>"She's over there," Cordelia cocked her head in the direction of her mother. "I can go get her, if you'd like."</p><p>"No, no," Agnese insisted. "I'll go over there myself, you go have fun."</p><p>Cordelia let out a dry chuckle as her aunt left in the direction of her mother, and she herself began to greet the other members of her family. She had many cousins, some of which she could not even remember the names of (they were very distant, in her defense), but there were a few she knew well-- her cousin Vilis had been sulking in the corner, his sister Lisbete was engrossed in a book, obviously extremely bored. </p><p>When she entered the sitting room to check for Winnie, she was greeted with a shock: her eldest cousin, Alise Bulstrode, was sitting beside a person she knew all too well, not in person, but because of his fame: Viktor Krum. </p><p>"Cordelia!" </p><p>The blonde had stood up to greet her, throwing her arms around her shoulders and squeezing her tight. Cordelia tensed, freezing under the weight of the taller girl, and she let go. "Sorry, I forgot you're not too big on hugs."</p><p>"It's okay," she gave her a tight-lipped smile, and then glanced over to where Viktor was watching her over Alise's shoulder. "I see you've brought a friend?"</p><p>"Boyfriend," she corrected, and she sat back down beside the Bulgarian Quidditch player, lacing her fingers with his. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone enter the room, another blonde. Could it be--</p><p>She whipped her head around eagerly, but when her eyes landed on the piercing green eyes of Millicent Bulstrode, her smile faltered, and she slumped her shoulders in defeat, mentally cursing herself. "Oh, it's you."</p><p>"Hello to you too, cousin," Millicent drawled, taking a seat opposite Alise and Viktor, the latter who was looking slightly uncomfortable in the atmosphere that had suddenly become tense, and she felt it, too, the dull ache that had been in her chest for days slowly becoming sharper.</p><p>"Where's Winnie?" She asked, ignoring the glances the two love birds shared ahead of her. She narrowed her eyes at the girl who looked so much like the cousin she loved so much. She felt bile creep up her throat as Millicent smirked, her green eyes sparkling with what seemed like malice. </p><p>"Gone," she said simply, crossing her legs and touching her fingertips together. </p><p>"What do you mean, gone?" </p><p>"I'm not supposed to give any more information," Millicent prattled, the smirk growing bigger. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, if I were you, Cordelia."</p><p>"Is there something you want to tell me, Millicent?" Cordelia stepped closer, kneeling in front of the girl so that they were face to face. Their eyes met, and they seemed to search each other, wanting to know the deepest, darkest secrets of each. Her blue eyes became dark, and her nerves began to kick in, but she didn't let them show. She couldn't let Millicent see what she was doing to her. </p><p>"Let's just say we took a little fly off the wall." </p><p>Cordelia felt herself go pale, and she stood up, much to the pleasure of Millicent Bulstrode, whose face mirrored a lowly devil. She turned to Alise and Viktor, who were both watching the scene with eager eyes. She eyed them a moment before storming out of the room, out into the hallway, where she had to take in a heaving breath to keep from vomiting. </p><p>When her heartbeat finally slowed, her feet absentmindedly carried her up the stairs, to the floor where all the bedrooms and the library were located. She remembered coming up here when she was a child, playing games in the dark with Max, Winnie, and Millicent, back when everything was okay. She gave the corner a once over before pushing open the door to Winnie's bedroom, knowing it was hers because of the W that was scratched onto the wood. </p><p>When she stepped foot inside, she was greeted with a scene that made her stomach churn. The trunk she knew Winnie usually kept moderately tidy was upside down on the floor, her belongings thrown across the floor as if someone had hastily searched through it. Drawers were pulled out, and her bathroom door was thrown wide open enough for her to see the broken pieces of glass on the ground.</p><p>What the hell had happened in here?</p><p>Cordelia ran a hand across the bedsheets, the bed tightly made and seemingly the only neat thing inside the bedroom. Her eyes drifted across the room, looking horrified at the various arrays of clothing and schoolbooks that littered together, usually neat floor. An odd spot under one of the turned-over chairs caught her eye, and she bent down to inspect it.</p><p>She ran her fingers along the indentation, and a crack in the floor made her eyebrows knit together. She dug her nails under it, wondering if it could be hollow enough for the girl to hide things. She wouldn't be surprised, as she had a spot like this in the back of her closet she used to </p><p>She was right.</p><p>Cordelia ripped off the top of it, and a small, thick stack of photos came into view. She undid the tie tying them together and flipped through them, and a warmth filled her chest as she saw scenes of her childhood.</p><p>In one, she, Winnie, and Millicent stood arm in arm, smiling broadly as boys on broomsticks zoomed in and out of the frame— Max and Marcus. In another, Winnie and Millicent were grinning broadly in the arms of their parents, Elijah and Imogen, who held them tightly with wide smiles on their pale faces.</p><p>Times had changed, hadn't they? </p><p>She stuffed the first one into the purse she had hanging at her side, wishing that Winnie was here so she could understand what had happened. Cordelia stood, wiped the small layer of dust off her dress, and left the room, not bearing to see the room any longer.</p><p>She found her way into the hall, and on the wall beside Winnie's room, hanging over a small table with exquisite decor, was an olive-colored tapestry— the Bulstrode Family Tree. It was one similar to the one she had back in her manor, but not as well-crafted as this. She eyed it for a moment, looking from one name to the next.</p><p>Her own was on there, under her mother's, which stretched across the tapestry to where the name 'Elijah Bulstrode', Winnie's father, was connected to 'Imogen Bulstrode'. She looked below their photos, and, in a shock that sent her stumbling backward and colliding with the wall, she saw not two, but one daughter beneath their names. </p><p>Millicent Bulstrode. </p><p>And Winnie's had been blasted off the tree. </p><p>Cordelia crumpled to the floor, hand covering her mouth as she tried not to let out a cry. Millicent's words rang in her head: Let's just say we took a little fly off the wall. </p><p>Millicent meant it literally. </p><p>For a moment, she sat on the floor in shock, staring at the burnt piece of fabric on the tapestry, unblinking. Then, as if sense had been knocked into her, she stood up and ran into the closest room, shutting the door behind her. Her chest heaved, and her eyes were shut tight, the dark being the one thing that had yet to leave her like everyone else. </p><p>Winnie's voice drifted into her head: I know it isn't much, but, well, I thought it would be an easier way for us to talk.</p><p>The compact!</p><p>She remembered throwing it into her purse, and she rummaged through it, pulling out her wand as well. She flipped it open, hoping to see Winnie's face, but was sorely disappointed when she found herself staring at her own reflection. </p><p>What was the spell again?</p><p>She paced the room, racking her brains as she tried to remember. Was it patebus? Pantibus? She tried each but it didn't work.</p><p>Then, as if a lightbulb when off in her head, the spell shone like bright lights in her mind: patentibus.</p><p>She tapped it eagerly, and her reflection vanished, the dark replacing it. She frowned, and whispered, "Winnie?" </p><p>No response.</p><p>"Winnie!" Louder this time.</p><p>No response.</p><p>"Winnie—" </p><p>The compact flipped open on the other end, and Winnie's face came into view. She let out a sigh of relief, and the blonde opened her mouth to speak, but Cordelia cut her off. </p><p>"Where are you? Your name has been blasted off the tree, and your room is in shambles—" </p><p>"Woah, woah, slow down," Winnie said, her voice slightly on edge. She was nursing a big, black bruise around her neck and a nasty red scratch above her eye, and that made Cordelia's head spin. "What?"</p><p>"Where are you?!" She panicked, tears prickling in her eyes. "They've blasted your name off the tree!" </p><p>"They've blasted my name off?" Winnie's eyes widened and she sucked in a breath, shifting the position of the mirror. "Bloody hell—"</p><p>"Winnie, I won't ask again," Cordelia said, willing her voice to calm down, but it wouldn't. "Where are you?" </p><p>Winnie paused on the other end, seeming to contemplate this answer. "I can't tell you," she said finally, her voice so soft that she almost couldn't make out the words. The background noise didn't help either— the sounds of chattering voices behind her cousin were distracting.</p><p>"Who are you with? What happened to your eye?" Cordelia asked, her voice low with concern. "Winnie, don't lie to me."</p><p>"It was a welcome home present," Winnie laughed, trying to lighten the mood, but when it became apparent that this was not the time for jokes, she frowned. "Look," she sighed. "It's complicated, okay?"</p><p>"You know you can tell me anything," Cordelia told her, eyes narrowing slightly. </p><p>"I know."</p><p>"Then tell me."</p><p>"I can't." </p><p>"Winnie, please—"</p><p>"Cor," Winnie's voice was harsher than Cordelia had ever heard, and she froze in her place. "Stop." </p><p>"Winnie, if you don't tell me what the hell is going on right this moment—" </p><p>She paused, for someone had just walked behind Winnie, bright red hair distracting her from the words that had been about to roll off her tongue. </p><p>Fred Weasley. </p><p>Then another figure, a shaggy, black mane almost covering his eyes, and she almost screamed, nearly dropping the mirror onto the floor.</p><p>Sirius Black.</p><p>"Did— what— why is Sirius Black with you? Are you with the Weasley's?" Cordelia whimpered, her face draining of all the little color that was left. </p><p>Winnie grimaces, shutting her eyes right before turning around and yelling at the men to 'get the hell out of here!', and then turning back to the mirror with an apologetic look on her face. "I... I can't explain, but please know I tried to help, I tried—" </p><p>"What the fuck do you mean by 'tried to help'? It seems like you failed, Winnie. What the hell is going on?" Panic was setting in, and she only had a few minutes before she would throw up due to the tension inside her body. </p><p>"Cordelia, calm down—" </p><p>"Calm down? Calm down?" Cordelia scoffed, tears beginning to fall down her face. "Do you know what they'll do to you if they find out?" </p><p>Winnie's lips thinned. "Cordelia, stop."</p><p>"No! You don't understand, I've witnessed it first hand, Winnie, what they do to someone if they don't follow the rules,"  She ran a hand through her hair, trying to keep herself from going mentally insane. "You're going to get hurt." </p><p>Winnie paused, and then said softly, "I'm already hurt. There's no going back now." </p><p>"You can still fix things." </p><p>"No, I can't. It's over, it's done," Winnie's eyes become glossy, and even from their distance apart she could see the shuddering breaths the girl was taking. "I can't fix it." </p><p>"You need to try."</p><p>"Do you know what I just risked my life to do?" Winnie glowered, dragging a hand across her face.</p><p>"Do you understand that you're risking your life every moment you're with the blood traitors?" Cordelia snapped, and her voice began to shake with fury. </p><p>Winnie's face hardened. "They're not blood traitors." </p><p>"Oh, and they'll do a fine job protecting you when they come after you, won't they?" She cried, clasping a hand over her mouth. "You know what? If you don't trust me enough to tell me what happened, fine. Then don't contact me again."</p><p>"Cordelia, please—"</p><p>But it was too late, and she had already made her decision. She shut the compact and threw it on the floor, crushing it with the heel of her shoe. It snapped, the glass shattering under her weight and the powder bursting into a cloud of pink. </p><p>Tears streamed down her face, and she collapsed to the ground, her chest heaving with her sobs. She cried until there were no more tears left to cry, her neck wet with the emotions that had been bottled up inside her for weeks. </p><p>After a while, she pulled herself up from the floor and fell onto one of the seats, wiping her eyes. As if on cue, the door opened, and Viktor Krum walked inside, twisting his fingers nervously in his hands.</p><p>Cordelia looked up and fanned her face quickly before giving him a forced smile. "Sorry you had to see me like this."</p><p>"It's alright," he said lightly, his accent lacing his words. "Are you okay?"</p><p>"Fine, I'm fine," she said.</p><p>He stood there awkwardly for a moment before saying, "Can I... help?"</p><p>"No, no, it's okay," she waved her hand in protest. "Don't. I'm alright. I'll be fine."</p><p>She'll be fine. </p><p>He nodded, walking through the bookshelves. He pulled one off the shelf, flipped through it for a moment, and then walked back over to her, holding the small, black leather book out in his hands as if he was offering it to her. </p><p>"Here," he said, and she took it gently. "Reading helps me when I'm upset." </p><p>Cordelia offered him a weak smile. "Thank you," she said, genuinely. "I appreciate it." </p><p>He sat down next to her as she opened the book and began to read, trying to distract herself from the reminder that she had just lost the one person she had cared about most in the world.</p><p>What would she do without Winifred Bulstrode?</p><p>Her heart felt empty without her.</p>
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<a name="section0017"><h2>17. enter gilderoy lockhart</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Christmas morning had never felt less than a holiday in her entire life. </p>
<p>She had more or less woken up on the wrong side of the bed, head pounding from the hours she had spent awake the previous night, fretting and pacing around her bedroom as her vision became disfigured and she was staring at the world as if through a fish-eye lens while blood pounded in her ears. Cordelia didn't sleep that night, only staring at the high ceiling above her head as her mind stayed wide awake while her body drifted away into the night, her limbs going numb as she lay helpless on her bed. </p>
<p>When she finally lowered herself out of bed and made her way downstairs, the Manor seemed empty-- the chairs where her family usually sat on the morning of the holiday were barren, and the only sign of life was the figure of her brother lying asleep on the couch and the sight of Bonky the house-elf stirring something up in the kitchen. </p>
<p>Cordelia tightened the blanket she was wearing around her shoulders as she crept closer to her brother. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and she noticed one was covered in a thick, white bandage at the forearm that seemed to be faintly glowing green. Her eyebrows knitted together, feeling confused as she sat down on the couch opposite him. </p>
<p>The book Viktor Krum had handed her the previous night was sitting beside her, and she remembered she had ended up taking it from the Bulstrode home. It wasn't a regular book, either-- its contents were neatly handwritten, not printed, and when she had inspected it closer, the spine and the hardcover were covered in dust. </p>
<p>She flipped it open, eyes quickly darting to Marcus asleep on the couch and the presents under the Christmas tree before she began to scan over the pages as she had done the night before, but, because of her state of shock, she didn't process any of the information that was being thrown at her from the written words inside the book, which appeared to be a journal now that she examined it closer. </p>
<p>The more she looked through it, curling into a ball on the couch, Cordelia understood that this was not a diary, either: it was a book of charms, a book of spells, that could very well have been made up. A specific one stuck out to her, one that the author had called it an Imperturbable Charm, the incantation called obice invisibilia, which supposedly caused an invisible magical barrier around an object, the example given was a door, where objects would bounce off the barrier and it would also muffle sound. </p>
<p>That could be useful, she thought. </p>
<p>She spent a good amount of time pouring over the book before the stairs creaked, and footsteps could be heard from the door leading out of the kitchen. She finished reading a short description of a spell called the Faux Curse, tempus interficere, that quite piqued her interest as her mother approached. She bookmarked the page with a slight fold in the top corner, and then set the journal or book or whatever it was gently down beside her. </p>
<p>Emilia Flint wore a small frown on her face as she patted her son gently atop the head to wake him. He stirred, and when he opened his eyes, he quickly shoved the bandaged arm under a blanket and sat up. Marcus leaned into his mother's hug, before the woman stood, her hands clasped in front of her. </p>
<p>"Merry Christmas," she told them, and Cordelia smiled softly. "Your father had some business he needed to attend to, so he'll be gone for the day. He'll return tonight. Then you'll be spending the day with the Notts, I've already arranged it. You'll floo there."</p>
<p>"Great, when do we leave?" Cordelia clapped her hands together, eyes brightening at the prospect of seeing her best friend on Christmas. </p>
<p>"Marcus is going, you'll be coming with me to St. Mungos to visit a friend," Emilia said, and a frown bloomed on her face. </p>
<p>"Why can't I go with Marcus? I want to see Theodore." She said, lip jutting out in a pout.</p>
<p>"You're to come with me."</p>
<p>"But--" She started, but her mother shot her a look. </p>
<p>"Please, don't argue," There was a slight sadness in Emilia Flint's face, and it was that and only that that caused Cordelia to fall silent, looking to the floor. "We'll leave in two hours. You can open your gifts now."</p>
<p>Emilia's face suddenly paled and she lost her balance, hands tightly gripping the couch for support. Marcus jumped up, his face twisting with concern, to help her stand, but she waved him away. Her face was still white as a sheet when she steadied, and Cordelia pursed her lips. </p>
<p>Confused, for the second time that morning. </p>
<p>She pretended to ignore the fall, reaching out onto the floor for the pile of gifts with her name on it. Their mother busied herself in the kitchen making a cup of tea as she and Marcus unwrapped their presents, every so often the wrapping paper vanishing into thin air with the flick of Emilia's wand. </p>
<p>She had received a small peridot pendant from Claire that dangled from a delicate silver chain, alongside a postcard from her holiday in Japan. From Theo, a moleskin journal whose pages and the words written on them were only visible to the writer (she had a habit of writing down her feelings, which more often than not turned into an odd form of a song or piece of poetry. Half the time she didn't know how it happened, but it did). Draco Malfoy and his family had sent a small basket of sweets from Honeydukes, and her cousins who attended Durmstrang had sent a package of luxury clothing items from Finland. </p>
<p>There was nothing more from Winnie. </p>
<p>Cordelia's stomach gave a whirl of discontent, suddenly feeling the need to vomit. She had spent the majority of the morning trying to keep herself from remembering the events from the night before, removing the rancid memories from her mind when they prodded at her like a clingy child. But, upon the discovery that there was nothing from her cousin, not even a note, everything came crashing down and hit her like a bus. </p>
<p>Marcus had received a plethora of gifts as well, but none he had opened erased the wounded expression he wore on his face. A scowl seemed burnt on his lips, and he would not stop itching his arm. Over the hour, Cordelia noticed him become more and more agitated until he excused himself from the sitting room and then he was gone. </p>
<p>Odd. </p>
<p>She couldn't wait to get out of the house, where tensions were so high she became light-headed-- she would've given anything to spend the day with Theo rather than go visit one of her mother's friends (she didn't have the faintest clues of who it could be, and that made her dread the trip even more so), and being in her mother's company was more often than not very, very awkward. </p>
<p>But, on the bright side, it might be good to find someone who was not connected to Winnie, to not have the weight of the world on her shoulders for just a few hours, to get some fresh air that would surely clear her head and allow her to stay sane.</p>
<p>Cordelia continued to reassure herself that nothing could go wrong and that this was a simple trip. But there was an underlying feeling in her gut that there was a problem, and a problem that might make things worse. But they couldn't, right? Everything was already terrible, everything was falling apart. Nothing could happen, right?</p>
<p>Right?</p>
<p>She couldn't help but feel queasy nonetheless. </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>▬▬▬▬</p>
<p> </p>
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<p>St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries was bustling that morning. Healers in lime green robes were bustling in and out of the reception area while witches and wizards with various ailments and commodities were all around her, emotions all across the board. Some were crying, others were groaning with pain and barely conscious, and others were so snappish that they seemed oddly like Professor Umbridge back at school. </p>
<p>From her place beside her mother, Cordelia tried to not look at those surrounding her. She felt out of place as they stood in line, waiting their turn for the Welcome Witch to give them their instructions on where to go. It didn't help that she was still left in the dark about who they were visiting: it left her feeling very unpleasant when a stout, grey-haired woman approached her to ask her who she was seeing, and all she could do was shrug her shoulders and reply with, 'I have absolutely no idea'. </p>
<p>They approached the Welcome Witch, who didn't even look up from her horn-rimmed glasses that were perched at the end of her nose. </p>
<p>"We're here for Gilderoy Lockhart," Emilia told her, and Cordelia whipped her head around so quickly that she felt a twinge in her neck. Since when did her mother know her old Professor? </p>
<p>"Gilderoy Lockhart..." She pursed her lips and ran a finger down a long sheet of parchment. "Yes, fourth floor, third door to the left." </p>
<p>"Thank you," said Emilia, and they set off up toward the fourth floor. Cordelia saw a sign above a table with many issues of Witch Weekly stacked on top of it: </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Ground Floor: Artefact Accidents</p>
<p>First Floor: Creature Induced Injuries</p>
<p>Second Floor: Magical Bugs</p>
<p>Third Floor: Potion and Plant Poisoning</p>
<p>Fourth Floor: Spell Damage</p>
<p>Fifth Floor: Visitor's Tearoom and Hospital Shop</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Apparently, the fourth floor was where patients with spell damage were kept. She had read about Gilderoy Lockart's mysterious accident, where he had somehow been exposed to a backfired Memory Charm that erased all his memories. Curious, she turned to her mother as they walked up the stairs. </p>
<p>"Why are we visiting Professor Lockhart?"</p>
<p>Emilia took in a breath, making a point to avoid eye contact, Cordelia noticed. "He's an old friend. I'm assuming he doesn't get many visitors after how the Prophet made him out to be." </p>
<p>This wasn't the answer she wanted. What she truly wanted to know was why she came: she knew her mother had other friends, Narcissa Malfoy for instance, who she would visit without bringing her child along. So what was so important that she had to be there? There was certainly no other reason in her mind than to keep her mother company, which was strange all in itself because they rarely spent any time together. </p>
<p>"Why did I have to come? I could've been with Theo right now, mum." </p>
<p>Emilia narrowed her eyes at her as they approached the third floor, and she turned so quickly that Cordelia nearly ran into her. "It's very important you were here with me, my darling," she said. "I will tell you everything you want to know afterward."</p>
<p>"'Everything I want to know'," Cordelia huffed and crossed her arms over her chest as they kept climbing the stairs. "You say that as if there's a secret behind it." </p>
<p>"You don't know the half of it," sighed Emilia, and she suddenly swayed on her feet. Cordelia's heart leaped out of her chest as she reached to keep her mother from falling. When she stood up once more, she looked at her daughter with a facial expression she couldn't read. "I will tell you everything, I promise."</p>
<p>"You're making me nervous," Cordelia laughed slightly, trying to diffuse the tension, but as they stepped onto the fourth-floor landing, she realized it was no good. Her mother was serious, and she was about to unravel something important. </p>
<p>Go figure.</p>
<p>"What room did she say?" Emilia asked her, changing the subject as they stood in the open hallway. Doors and visitors' chairs on all sides suddenly seemed intimidating, the number of Healers running in and out of rooms making Cordelia's hands begin to sweat. </p>
<p>"I think it was the third door to the left," She replied, and her mother nodded. When they reached the door, Emilia halted for a moment, as if she had something to say but then thought better of it, for she pushed open the door without another word. </p>
<p>Cordelia pursed her lips, feeling uneasy about the whole thing as she followed in her mother's wake. She raised her eyes from the ground to take a look at her old Professor, who was eagerly signing autographs in handwriting similar to a four-year-old, and that's when she saw them. </p>
<p>Four more familiar faces were gaping at her, and Cordelia felt her face flush. She stiffened under their gaze, quickly glancing over to her mother in a sudden panic that washed over her like an icy wave. She avoided the wandering eyes of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley as she walked to her mother's side, pretending they weren't there. </p>
<p>Hermione, however, had other plans: instead of catching on to the fact that she clearly did not want to talk to them, she said happily, "Hi, Cordelia!"</p>
<p>Cordelia snapped her head up, and upon the brunette waving at her, grimaced slightly, raising a hand in an awkward wave. Harry and Ron exchanged a look before the green-eyed boy gave her a smile, and Ginny shifted on her feet as she watched the interaction with narrowed eyes and arms folded across her chest. </p>
<p>"Friends of yours?" Emilia asked her, without glancing up from where her eyes were locked upon her old professor.</p>
<p>"Oh," Cordelia coughed, stealing a look at the four as they began to talk in hushed voices on the other side of the room. "I guess."</p>
<p>"I didn't realize you knew Harry Potter," It was more a question than a statement, and Cordelia bit the insides of her cheek. </p>
<p>"We're... acquaintances," she clarified, and Emilia nodded. </p>
<p>The woman took in an audible breath as she placed a hand on her daughter's shoulder, and Cordelia once again glanced in Harry's direction. She was surprised to find him watching her as he stood there, looking out of place even when he was standing within the bubble of his group of friends. As they made eye contact and held it for a minute, unmoving, there seemed to be an understanding between them: an unspoken exchange of something that made her mouth go dry and caused her to avert her eyes as her cheeks burned slightly pink.</p>
<p>"Cordelia," Emilia said softly, and Cordelia looked up to her mother, and they met eyes. Dark brown met bright blue, and then, with a deep intake of breath, Emilia Flint said, "He's your father."</p>
<p>"What?" The question came out with a nervous laugh, and she stared at her mother with wide eyes, still processing the words that came out of her mouth. He's your father, she said. Father. "What did you say?"</p>
<p>"Gilderoy Lockhart," Emilia breathed, "Is your father." </p>
<p>Emilia Flint wasn't afraid to get to the point, was she? </p>
<p>Well, she always knew this to be true. Her mother was never one to sugarcoat, she always wanted to give a true story about everything that happened. A lie never left her lips, nor did even the smallest hint of a white lie. She was truthful, and she was straight to the point. Always.</p>
<p>And that's how she knew that this was true, that, perhaps, she wasn't truly a Flint. </p>
<p>A part of her identity, gone. Just like that. </p>
<p>She took a step back, eyes widening as her heart momentarily stopped. The world around her seemed to move in slow motion as she gripped onto the wall, chest heaving as she tried to regain the breath she had lost. Then she was frozen, staring at the man as he handed Emilia a signed autograph with an ecstatic grin on his face, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. </p>
<p>Curse her sensitive stomach.</p>
<p>She felt the bile creep up her throat and quickly slapped her hand over her mouth before running out of the room and out into the hallway, and before she knew it she was vomiting into the closest trash cans. A Healer who had just exited the room beside her and quickly ran to her aid, holding her hair back as she threw up the remains of her stomach contents. When she was done, the woman waved her wand to clean her face and conjured a glass of water for her. </p>
<p>Cordelia's hands shook as she downed the liquid, allowing it to soothe her now raw throat. She let out a sigh, pressing a hand to her chest to calm the steadily increasing rate of her heartbeat, not particularly feeling like having it beat right out of her chest. </p>
<p>"Thank you," She told the Healer, who's Nametag she now was able to read saying, Jocelyn. "Jocelyn."</p>
<p>"It's no problem, dear," Jocelyn said, rubbing her shoulders as the door to Lockhart's room opened, and Harry walked out. "Is everything okay?"</p>
<p>"Oh, um, yes," she piped quickly: perhaps it was too fast, for Harry joined her with a concerned look on his face that made the Healer raise an eyebrow in apparent worry. She shot him a glare as she finished, "I just got some... surprising news is all. I have a weak stomach, I'm sorry."</p>
<p>"Don't apologize, love," Jocelyn said with a smile, adjusting her lime green robes around her shoulders and tucking her wand back in her pocket after filling the water glass once more. "Let me know if you need anything else, alright?"</p>
<p>"Thank you," Cordelia gave her a grateful smile, and the woman returned it. She then turned on her heel and ambled out of the hallway, allowing the brunette to let out a sigh of relief. </p>
<p>And then Harry placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, and she took in another breath. </p>
<p>"Are you okay?" Harry asked her, genuine concern lining his face as she took a seat on the bench. He joined her, and her right leg began to bounce nervously against the hardwood floor. </p>
<p>"I'm fine."</p>
<p>"You don't seem fine."</p>
<p>"But I am."</p>
<p>"You're lying," Harry cocked an eyebrow at her, and she turned her head away, chewing her lip anxiously. "You can talk to me, you know."</p>
<p>"Why is it that every conversation we have it's about one of us not being okay?" She let out a light laugh, wiping at the tears that prickled in her eyes. Why she was feeling like she was about to cry was beyond her: this was news she should be rejoicing at, that the bastard Carleton Flint was not her father, and that she, metaphorically, didn't have to deal with him anymore.</p>
<p>But that wasn't even what was on her mind at that moment, if she was being honest. Winnie was still the focus of her thoughts, even with this news of her father not truly being her father. In fact, it didn't bother her too much, really, that her mother had found the comfort of another man during her marriage to her father: she was actually proud of her mother for it, getting out of the horrid arms that belonged to the man. She wished more than anything that she could tell all this to Winnie, to cry to her, to have her tell her that everything was going to be okay, to hug her tight and give her reassurance.</p>
<p>But that wasn't an option. Not anymore, anyway. </p>
<p>The shock of her not truly being a Flint had worn off, vanished into thin air, leaving her only with the dreaded thoughts of her fight with Winnie. This made her feel guilty, because she felt that she should be more worried about that in the first place. It was odd, really, how one thing took priority over the other. </p>
<p>Winnie was family, and Lockhart, although her birth father, was not. Winnie was her family. And she needed her. Terribly. </p>
<p>At the very least, she was glad she hadn't been alone in the room with her mother because only Merlin knows what would have happened if she hadn't. Even though she wasn't particularly close with Ron, Ginny, Hermione, or even Harry, she was happy for their presence. His being there grounded her to reality, allowed her not to get too attached to what was on her mind, allowed her to not go so far down the spiral that was her thoughts. </p>
<p>"I'm just so tired." She admitted, holding her head in her hands as he sat there, twisting his fingers. </p>
<p>"Tired of what?"</p>
<p>"Everything," she let out a morose laugh. "Everything has gone to shite, Harry."</p>
<p>"How so?" He asked gently, eyes flitting across her face as Cordelia tilted her head slightly. </p>
<p>"Winnie and I aren't speaking," She confessed after a minute, letting out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "She... she didn't tell me about new plans she made. I guess. And then this news--"</p>
<p>"What news?" He interrupted, and she scoffed. </p>
<p>"I know you heard," She told him, and he grimaced, a clear sign that he did, in fact, hear the words that came out of her mother's mouth. How great! How absolutely terrific! "It's fine, though. It doesn't bother me much. But I just feel..."</p>
<p>"Overwhelmed?" He finished the sentence for her, and she nodded delicately. </p>
<p>"You read my mind," A soft smile twisted on her lips, and she rested her head against his shoulder. She felt him go rigid, but as soon as it came, it went, and he relaxed, allowing her to keep her head there for the time being. Her rapid heartbeat began to slow, and her breaths became less heavy, and she felt like she could breathe again. </p>
<p>Cordelia wondered briefly for a moment why Ron, Hermione, and Ginny hadn't left Gilderoy Lockhart's room, but before she could ask, Harry had a question of his own. </p>
<p>"How's Marcus?"</p>
<p>Marcus? Why in the hell was he asking about Marcus, of all people?</p>
<p>From what she remembered, the two of them had only spoken once or twice in all their years of attending Hogwarts-- and it was always some taunt on her brother's end that resulted in the snappish behavior of Harry before they parted ways. Or a snide comment from either party. She furrowed her eyebrows and looked up at him, peering into his green eyes. </p>
<p>"Why do you ask?" She wondered aloud, removing her head from where it was resting on his shoulder. She saw his eyes widen a fraction of an inch, and he rubbed the back of his neck as if he was regretting saying anything. </p>
<p>"Oh, it's just... I'm just curious," He told her, his cheeks reddening slightly. She raised an eyebrow at him, and he cleared his throat. "Well, I thought... I don't know. Forget I asked."</p>
<p>"He's fine," She said carefully, eyeing him. "Well," she clapped her hands together, ignoring the way he opened his mouth as if to say something more. "I should... get back inside, talk to my mother. You know." </p>
<p>"Yeah," he cleared his throat again. "Yeah. We'll be leaving, too. We just happened to run into Professor Lockhart in the hallway, that's why we were here."</p>
<p>"Oh," She said, and she got to her feet. Harry followed suit, and then they stared at each other for a moment. It seemed as though they were both conflicted on something-- perhaps on how to say goodbye or something else to say. Harry opened his mouth to speak, but Cordelia beat him to it. "Thank you."</p>
<p>"For?"</p>
<p>"Sitting with me," She said, and she gave him a small smile as she lifted her hand in a wave. Then, after he gave her an awkward little wave in return, she turned to the door in which she had come out of in a rush, took a deep breath, and then stepped back inside. </p>
<p>"Can I ask a few questions?" She requested of her mother, and Emilia nodded, wiping away the tears that had spilled onto her rosy cheeks. </p>
<p>"Go ahead," She answered, and Cordelia took a seat in the chair beside Lockhart's bedside as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny left. Hermione and Ginny had waved, but Ron had scowled in her direction, avoiding eye contact as he held the door open for his sister and friend. Typical behavior for him. "Ask away."</p>
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<a name="section0018"><h2>18. cordelia flint and the terrible three</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Out of all relationships in the world, the one between mother and child is arguably the most important. There's just something about it, the way a mother is supposed to understand everything her child does not say, the way she's supposed to care for her child as though their life depends on it, how she's supposed to kiss them on the forehead and tell them that everything is going to be okay. It's a precious thing, the way a mother values her child's arms around her neck like a set of precious jewels.</p><p>Cordelia never understood the gravity of how much her mother cared for her until Emilia Flint began to practically tell her the entire story of her life. As she had sat in the hospital bed as her biological father dozed off to sleep and the Healers left them alone to talk, Cordelia listened, and she found herself regretting pushing her mother away, ignoring the obvious signs of affection that showered her days at home like a rain shower. </p><p>Emilia had started off by telling her about her childhood, how she was, like nearly all pure-bloods are, encouraged to be sorted into Slytherin. Cordelia knew this all too well, and she felt a stab in her chest when her mother's smile mimicked that of Winnie's, her heart sinking as Emilia continued with the tales. She went on to explain that, not only had she nearly been sorted into Ravenclaw, but she had made a new friend on the train as well, when she was finally able to slip away from her older brothers' line of sight. </p><p>Gilderoy Lockhart was his name, she said, as she gazed at the very man who had laid asleep in the bed. </p><p>They became very close, becoming best friends within a matter of months: her brothers did not approve of it, but they let it go. She was eleven, for goodness sake! A little friendship at a child's age was nothing to be ashamed of. Cordelia's uncle Elliott had later said to his little sister that it would only become a problem if it continued when she was older. </p><p>It did, in fact, become a problem.</p><p>Cordelia listened carefully as her mother went on to explain that they had started a relationship when she was sixteen-- almost her age, and she felt her cheeks burn slightly as an image of Harry Potter popped into her head. Emilia continued on, saying, "We were young, immature, but we loved each other very much. Perhaps that's what gave us so much trouble." </p><p>Then, a few months in, like most pure-blooded females at her mother's age then, a new weight was placed on the young Emilia Bulstrode's shoulders: an arranged marriage, with Carleton Flint, a man four years older and much, much more experienced than she. She became scared, and in a panic, she had broken off their relationship, and, worse, their friendship, in fear she would bring her love harm.</p><p>Luckily, she never did bring him harm, she said. But she confided in her daughter that she was afraid it made him into someone he wasn't: the person he was known as to the world, a liar. A scummy, arrogant, narcissistic liar, who didn't care for anyone but himself. She said that was never the person he was when she knew him. Not in the slightest. </p><p>After she graduated she got married, had Marcus, and she and Gilderoy went their separate ways, never speaking again until after she had her second child, Maximus, and then they ran into each other one afternoon in a book shop: if it hadn't been about her parents, Cordelia would've thought the story to be quite the romantic one. Then boom, one thing led to another, and then nine months later, Cordelia Margaret Flint was born with the bright blue eyes of her father. Her real father. </p><p>"You're my golden child," Emilia had said, stroking Cordelia's cheek with her hand. "I love you very much. And I needed to tell you this because I'm afraid if I didn't do it now, I wouldn't ever, do you understand?" </p><p>"Why did you decide to tell me today?" Cordelia asked. "There's a million other times it could have been executed."</p><p>And then, another bomb was dropped. She should've been expecting this, there was always some underlying reason for everything her mother did. </p><p>Emilia let out a breath and returned her gaze to the man she once loved. "I also needed you to see this place before I have to be here myself."</p><p>Cordelia's stomach churned slightly. "What?"</p><p>"I'm sick, darling," said Emilia, placing her hand on the brunette's knee. "I'm to be admitted in a few weeks if things don't improve. But I doubt it. I'll be alright."</p><p>"You're sick?" The words came out weak, her voice almost hoarse with not having spoken. "Is that-- is that why you kept losing your balance? Because you're sick?"</p><p>Her mother nodded sadly and raised her brown eyes to meet her daughter's blue ones. "I'm sorry for not saying anything earlier. I just needed you to be ready, okay?"</p><p>"Are you dying?" Cordelia couldn't help but ask, but she needed to know the answer. Of course, the moment she started feeling like she truly understood her mother, the one person to show she cared since Winnie, everything was falling apart again. It didn't make sense, it truly didn't. Why did the universe hate her so damn much? What had she done to deserve any of this?</p><p>A fight with Winnie. The fact that she wasn't truly a Flint. Her mother was sick. </p><p>"Let's try and stay positive," said Emilia, her mouth twisting upward into a smile that didn't quite reach her brown eyes. "We should head out now." </p><p>Cordelia simply nodded and picked herself up from the chair, sparing a glance down at Gilderoy Lockhart. She wondered how different her life would be if he had been in it as she followed her mother out the door, thinking about whether or not how much of a different person she would be. </p><p>Before she knew it, they were back at Flint Manor. She had time before her father returned to compose herself, so she wouldn't have to immediately put on the mask that she always wore when he was around. She didn't want to slip up, to tell him something that was obviously so secret that her mother didn't even tell her until that day. She didn't want to be the reason anyone got hurt, or worse, killed. </p><p>It had happened before, and it would happen again. It was just a matter of when.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The train hummed beneath her feet as it rolled off across the tracks, and Cordelia sludged through the corridor of the carriage. She hadn't slept that night, the violet color under her eyes making that as clear as day, or barely at all since she had returned home after the visit to St. Mungos on Christmas day. The days following had been rather tense, and although she had a new found appreciation for the woman she called her mother, she still found herself tiptoeing around her. </p><p>Marcus had been acting oddly as of late, too: he seemed to have a rash of sorts on his arm, constantly itching at it while it continued to grow a faintly green color. She had tried to get him to let her tend to it, with the murtlap essence she kept under her nightstand, but he had jerked his arm out of her reach so hard that he slammed his elbow against the marble counter with a crack. And it didn't help that he'd been keeping it covered with a sleeve. </p><p>There was something off about that, she knew it. And she needed to figure out what it was, but she hoped he would tell her about it himself. But she knew all too well that he was a lot like her, prone to keeping secrets. Dark ones. </p><p>She had kept herself busy the following days by reading that journal she had brought from the Bulstrode house: not only was it now filled with her handwriting in the margins, but the empty pages in the back were now full as well. It was with her now, in the bookbag she had slung over her shoulder. </p><p>Cordelia had felt overwhelmed upon setting foot onto the train, so, for the couple hours or so of the ride, she had settled herself into a compartment in the back, where she would be far away from prying eyes. She took the time to herself, trying to will her breathing (which, as of late, never seemed to slow) to simmer down so she wouldn't feel like she had just sprinted. The thought of seeing Winnie nagged at her and made her heart race, not wanting to face her just yet. She wasn't planning on it, but eventually, she was able to soothe herself-- at long last, she slid open the door to her usual compartment, and was surprised not just Theo Nott and Claire Tamashiro, but besides the girl, Blaise Zabini, who was immersed in a book. Cordelia eyed him as she settled down beside the brunet, whose grin upon seeing her seemed to light up the compartment.</p><p>"Well, look who it is," Theo remarked with a smirk as she set her book bag down beside her. "Took you long enough."</p><p>"Oh, shut it," Cordelia sent him a glare, scowling slightly as she leaned back against the seat of the booth. </p><p>"Where were you?" Theo asked her, a smile on his lips, but she just shook her head to indicate that she did not want to talk, and the smile faded and she felt a sting in her chest, feeling bad that their first interaction since the end of the last term was with her in her anxious state. She knew by the way his eyebrow was ever-so-slightly raised and the way his eyes flitted across her face that he felt like he understood her not wanting to talk about it, and she was grateful for it. They would always have time to talk about it later, but there was always a chance she would keep it to herself like she always did. </p><p>"How was your Christmas?" Claire asked, leaning forward and propping herself up with elbows against her knees. If she had noticed Cordelia's odd shift in demeanor, she didn't show it. Claire was practically glowing, her cheeks slightly flushed, her lips twitching every so often with a smile that seemed to catch the attention of everyone in the compartment, even Blaise, who glanced up at her with a knowing look in his eyes. Cordelia let her eyes linger on the two of them for a moment before she opened her mouth to speak. </p><p>"It was fine," The lie rolled off her tongue so easily that it scared her, and the small voice in the back of her mind wanted to scream out that everything was not fine, that she was feeling like she was burning from the inside out like her mind was about to implode from the number of grim thoughts pressing at the front of her skull. Instead, however, she feigned a smile and put on the mask that those around her knew all too well. She reached over to touch the girl's knee as Theo gave her a side-eyed glance. "What about you? You look glowing." </p><p>"My holiday was great," beamed Claire, and Blaise snorted lightly. She elbowed him and he winced slightly, all while not looking up from his book. "I spent a lot of time with my cousins who I haven't seen for a while. And when I came home--" She paused, her eyes widening the fraction of an inch as the train rumbled beneath them and the snow-covered greenery outside the window became a blur. "I spent the last few days back at home, it was nice."</p><p>"Oh, you did?" Theo raised an eyebrow and her, and her ears reddening slightly. "That's not what you told me."</p><p>"It doesn't matter," said Claire quickly, clearly avoiding the subject that weighed heavily on her mind. Cordelia and Theo exchanged a look of confusion. She changed the subject before anyone could say another word. "Anyway, Blaise told me Draco's got a new girlfriend."</p><p>"You weren't supposed to say anything," Blaise grumbled under his breath, giving her an annoyed stare. She shrugged her shoulders, a light giggle escaping her lips as Cordelia shifted in her seat. Her school robes felt like they were hindering her ability to breathe, and she tried to loosen the tie around her neck as Claire continued on. </p><p>"Well, from what I've been told," She shot Blaise another look, and he stuck his tongue out at her, leaving Cordelia to wonder briefly for a moment when these two had become friends. Acquaintances, really. "He's dating Astoria Greengrass. You know, the younger sister of Daphne?"</p><p>"Oh, Astoria," A flash of the moment when the eldest Greengrass had accidentally hexed Odile McClaren instead of her ex appeared briefly for a moment, and she smiled softly at the memory. Feisty, Astoria was. "I like her."</p><p>"She's nice," said Theo as he stood up, rubbing his hands together as if they were cold. "I need to use the restroom, I'll be right back." Then, before she could process it, he was sliding out of the compartment and out into the hall. </p><p>"Oh, Cor," announced Claire suddenly after a minute of silence, and Cordelia looked up at her eagerly as she fiddled with her tie again. "Have you heard about Winnie?" </p><p>That's not what she was expecting, the words causing her stomach to drop and her eyes to lower the floor inadvertently. She chewed her lip, her hands picking at the slightly fraying edges of her green and silver tie while her heart, which had been beating steadily for the last couple of hours, suddenly began to beat faster by the second at the mention of her cousin's name. "No, what about her?" </p><p>"Millicent's going around telling everyone that she's been kicked out of the family," said Claire, and Blaise perked up as she adjusted the ruffles of her skirt. "She hasn't told anyone why, though. I'm assuming you know?"</p><p>"You'd think so," said Cordelia bitterly, twisting her head to look out the window. She could see the castle in the distance, looming out from behind the clouds, the sky around it slowly turning orange with the slowly setting sun. </p><p>Claire, who had suddenly seemed taken aback, raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you two not speaking, then?"</p><p>"What gave you that idea?" She scoffed, clicking her tongue. She pinched the bridge of her nose and sucked in a breath as Claire and now Blaise as well started at her, both waiting eagerly for a response. "Yeah, you're right. We just had a row, that's all. She'll come to her senses." Another lie. "It's fine, really."</p><p>"It better be," Claire laughed lightly, obviously trying to diffuse the tension. "If you two fell out, who knows what other friendship would make it. You're both, like, the blueprint to a stable friendship. I know it sounds corny, but it's true. Right, Blaise?" She elbowed him again just as he bent his head to return to his book, and he quickly nodded. </p><p>"Right, yeah," said Blaise absentmindedly, giving Cordelia a look she couldn't read before he glanced over to Claire hesitantly, as if waiting for a cue to return to his reading. She dipped her head in confirmation and he seemed to sigh with relief, flipping the page of his book. </p><p>Merlin, this wasn't helping. </p><p>"I'm going to step outside," said Cordelia, gathering her book bag and looping it over her shoulder. Claire looked up at her and pulled her knees up to her chest. "I'm going to go find Millicent, clear things up. Maybe find Theo and bring him back, he's taking forever." Claire nodded, waving her hand in a small wave as Blaise grunted a goodbye. "Meet you at the carriages?"</p><p>"Always," said Claire. </p><p>"Cool, cool," Cordelia stood there awkwardly for a moment before she departed from the carriage, sliding the door open and sparing one last glance at her friend(s) before setting off down the corridor. The trolley lady was in front of her, rolling the cart down the carpeted isle. Cordelia pushed past her, offering a little apology upon accidentally running into her. She caught a glimpse of Harry in one of the compartments, Ron and Hermione beside him, and he just happened to look up at her as she passed. He gave her a wave which she returned, feeling the familiar rush of heat in her cheeks whenever she looked at him as she continued on her way towards the restrooms. </p><p>When she stopped outside, she saw Theo, standing outside the bathroom door, standing in a position that made her eyebrows furrow with confusion. "Theo, I thought you were going to--" Then, when he turned to face her, her stomach dropped again when she realized that he had been hugging the one person she did not want to see. </p><p>As he let go of her and his words of 'I was going to, but...' trailed off into the open air, Cordelia stared at Winnie Bulstrode with heavy eyes. Her mind went blank, wanting to both hug her and tell her how much she missed her to slapping the girl she loved across the face, and storming away angrily off back to the compartment. But she did neither, simply watched Winnie as she opened her mouth to speak. </p><p>"Lia," It was a nickname Winnie had made for her so many years ago, when they still wore sundresses and had their hair twirled in pigtails. Back when the world was just them and nothing awful could ever touch them, where the scent of death and destruction roamed elsewhere. Cordelia flinched slightly, her eyes hardening as she stood taller, almost as if she was bracing herself not to react, not to fall. She noticed the spot of crimson on Winnie's bright blonde hair, blood, she knew it was and felt a swirl in her stomach as she willed herself to not vomit as she had done when she had once again been overwhelmed at St. Mungos. Winnie daringly took a step forward, causing Cordelia to take one step backward and Theo's eyes to flick concerningly between the two. "Can we please talk?" </p><p>It felt as though she was drowning, the air in her lungs suddenly becoming non-existent as she tried to stay afloat. The way Winnie's brown eyes stared endlessly and seeing the way she gripped onto Theo's Slytherin robes for support made her want to run, to ignore the feeling that they needed to talk about it, about everything. The weight of their argument weighed heavily on her shoulders, begging her to do something to release the tension between the two of them so they could rest. </p><p>She had to keep on the mask, she couldn't let it slip, in fear everything would be uncovered. No one could know. </p><p>So, her eyes flickered to Theo, and she saw from the corner of her eye Winnie's shoulders slump in defeat. She felt a pain in her chest, but she ignored it. She had to if she wanted to stay sane. "Right, so, we're almost at Hogwarts, so Claire and I will meet you at the carriages." Her voice was void of any emotion, her eyes empty, and, without another glance in the blonde's direction, she spun on her heel and turned away, leaving her problems behind without another word. </p><p>When it came to problems, Cordelia's strategy was to shove them deep down until they were hidden, hidden enough to the point where she could ignore them so easily that she could mistake them for being nonexistent. The news of her mother's infidelity and her newfound parentage; her mother's sickness; she and Winnie's row; Marcus's odd behavior. Ignore, ignore, ignore, walk away so they weren't there for her to deal with. She couldn't handle it, not now, not when she was still recovering from one thing that affected every part of her and, unfortunately, made her into who she was today. </p><p>She had to keep it a secret, for fear that she would break, fall apart like the piece of china she had broken when she was a child. She remembered how it fell to the floor, shattering into a million pieces, too many to be repaired without magic, and when it did fly back together with the flick of Emilia Flint's wand, it was never the same. She knew that, if the news about her brother's death were to surface and become known to all, she would be exactly like that piece of china. </p><p>Broken, shattered, never the same. </p><p>It would be over. </p><p>She couldn't let that happen. </p>
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<a name="section0019"><h2>19. stormy seas and raging storms</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cordelia Flint always did things with caution.</p>
<p>She knew it sounded crazy, but she couldn't help it. Ever since her brother died, and the circumstances in which his death happened, she had learned to be wary of everything, to be cautious, to be concerned about every detail that did not fall perfectly into place. Things like that made her anxious, giving her butterflies in her stomach that never ceased to disappear or causing a buzz in her ears that seemed to distract her from everything that was happening just in front of her eyes.</p>
<p>It was this feeling that pulled her out of her slumber at five o'clock that morning, a sudden wave of anxiety washing over her and causing her to shiver even though she had been fully clothed and tightly wrapped under her soft blankets. It was that feeling that brought her down out into the courtyard just as the sun began to rise, the sight of the pink and orange sky above her head giving her a sense of clarity, soothing her foggy mind and allowing her to think clearly for the first time in weeks.</p>
<p>Within an hour or so after the sun had taken its official place in the sky, now a clear blue with the occasional white cloud, Cordelia had found herself back into the confines of the castle, the warm air kissing her cold, flushed cheeks as she stepped inside. She wove through the corridors, her footsteps echoing as always throughout the hall as she approached the doors to the Great Hall. She pushed them open, found her way over to her usual spot at the Slytherin table, and sat down.</p>
<p>It was nearly empty, aside from her, a few Ravenclaws at the nearby table, and the Weasley twins. They were sitting facing her, shoving their faces with various arrays of pastries which she was shocked they had the energy to consume at seven-thirty in the morning. The one on the left, who she assumed to be George, made eye contact with her and, nudging his brother in the ribs, gave her a slight nod. She narrowed her eyes, not in a mean manner like one would assume, but one that showed her obvious confusion as they got up from their seat and made their way towards the Slytherin table.</p>
<p>"Morning," said Fred, sitting down across from her. George and his pearly-white grin sat down beside him, a croissant in one hand and a danish in the other, He held the croissant in between his teeth as he reached for a plate, and then once he had it he set down both the pastries and looked over at her expectantly.</p>
<p>"Can I help you?" She asked warily, eyeing them both suspiciously as she buttered a crumpet.</p>
<p>"No, no," said George, taking a bite of his croissant. "We just wanted to introduce ourselves, didn't we, George?"</p>
<p>Of course, she had gotten them mixed up. She'd never been good at telling identical twins apart-- she remembered a set of twins in the neighboring village back home that she never failed to misinterpret who was who.</p>
<p>Fred spread cream cheese on a bagel as he spoke up. "Right you are, Fred."</p>
<p>"I already know who you are," she said bitterly as she now placed a few slices of bacon onto her plate. "Fred and George Weasley, pranksters extraordinaire. Now that we've got out of the way, you mind letting me eat in peace? I'm not in the mood for-"</p>
<p>"Human interaction, yeah, we know," George rolled his eyes and ripped off a piece of the croissant. "Winnie's mentioned it."</p>
<p>"If you're here to talk about Winnie, then just leave," she said, taking a small bite of bacon. She followed it with a drink of water, hoping the boys would just leave, but they didn't, they stayed in their place, staring at her. "Oh, Merlin. What the fuck do you two want?"</p>
<p>"No need to be so harsh, love," Fred replied with a smirk, and she glared at him. "We just wanted to talk about Harry, now that you obviously know who we are."</p>
<p>Before she could respond, George interrupted her. "We know what you're going to say: 'why do you want to talk about Potter?' Well, little lady," He winked at her before continuing, giving her a moment to roll her eyes in defeat. They were not going to leave her alone, were they? She supposed she could just let them talk, just for a few minutes. Besides, she didn't have anything to worry about when it came to them. "We just wanted to give you more... insight, on him, you could say."</p>
<p>"On?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow. The two red-heads exchanged a look, seeming as though they were communicating telepathically with one another. She pinched the bridge of her nose, waiting dispassionately for them to speak again.</p>
<p>"First of all, our Harry Potter has a knack for getting into trouble," said Fred as he poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.</p>
<p>"I can tell," Cordelia muttered under her breath.</p>
<p>"No, no, that's not what we mean," George piped up. He stretched out his arms behind him, giving a great yawn before starting again. "Everywhere Harry goes, trouble follows."</p>
<p>"Why are you telling me this?" she asked with a slight groan, staring down at the food on her plate. Suddenly it didn't seem appetizing, and she pushed it forward slightly. Although her stomach grumbled with hunger, she couldn't seem to bring herself to lift the bread or bacon to her lips any longer. "You've literally never spoken to me before, why now, and why about this?"</p>
<p>"You really want to know?" Fred quipped, a smirk making his lips curve upward. For a moment, she understood why Hermione Granger blushed under his gaze, whenever he spoke to her. She shook her head, bringing herself back to the moment at hand, pretending she hadn't just found him attractive.</p>
<p>"Please, enlighten me," She leaned forward against her elbows that were propped up onto the table, eyes boring into Fred or George's brown ones as they hesitated for a moment. But, before they could speak again after exchanging another look, an owl swooped down from above, dropping a small parcel and an envelope down on the table in front of her. It was addressed to Cordelia Flint (Lockhart?), which made her insides clench with nerves. She assumed the feeling could be read on her face, for George cleared his throat awkwardly.</p>
<p>"We can continue this later," he said, nodding to his twin, and, seeming to get the message, stood up. George followed and, before following his twin back over to the Gryffindor table, turned to her again. "Just try not to get into too much trouble around him, okay? He's already suffered enough." Then he was gone, and Cordelia stared after him, mind racing to understand what had just happened. She could've made that conclusion herself-- Harry's parents were murdered, he'd faced off said murderer once every year since he was eleven, and, from what he told her (or, rather, what he didn't), he also had grown up in an abusive household. Of course, she wasn't going to try and bring more trouble into his life, she would never want that for him. What she wondered, though, was why had the Weasley twins come to speak to her about it? Maybe they were bored, or someone had sent them. She'd never know.</p>
<p>Moving her plate farther out of reach, she set the envelope down in front of her, looking at the back of it. The top left corner was a name she didn't recognize, Eleanor Lockhart, and that made her eyes narrow slightly. She didn't understand why the person, likely a woman, would be writing to her in the first place, it made no sense. But, nonetheless, she tore open the top of the envelope, taking out the neatly folded piece of parchment.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dear Cordelia,</p>
<p>I understand you don't know who I am, so I would like to introduce myself first before I get into the important details. My name is Eleanor Lockhart, I am a good friend of your mother's, and also your father's sister. I know you have just found out that my brother is your true father, and I don't mean to add to the surprises, but this letter is of the utmost importance.</p>
<p>I regret to tell you that your mother has fallen extremely ill, and I know she told you before that she was sick, but her condition has worsened. She has been moved to a ward next door to Gilderoy's and is in critical condition. She had asked me before to tell you if anything were to happen to her, and I'm so very sorry to tell you this. I wish and hope the best for you and your family.</p>
<p>This is not the ideal situation in which I would have wanted to meet you and write to you for the first time, not in the least. I would greatly appreciate it if, only if you would like, during your next Hogsmeade weekend you would come to join me for tea. I do not want you to feel pressure in order to meet me, but I would be so grateful. I would love a chance to get to know you even under these terrible circumstances.</p>
<p>Sending all my love,</p>
<p>Eleanor Lockhart</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Her mother's condition had already deteriorated? It seemed like just yesterday when she had sat her down and told her she was sick in the first place. Her mom being sick just felt like a fever dream, and she didn't understand how things had gone downhill so fast. It made no sense to her, how could things go from being perfectly okay just before Christmas to everything falling apart so quickly in just the span of a few days?</p>
<p>She longed to tell Winnie about it, and when she saw the girl enter the Great Hall with Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, she hoped she would make eye contact with her, that they could talk things out, that they could be normal again. But, when Winnie sat down with her back facing her, she knew that wouldn't happen. Their relationship was just... gone. With just the snap of someone's fingers, she had no one once again.</p>
<p>The sound of someone clearing their throat beside her made her jump, and she found herself back at the Slytherin table. She had drifted off into nowhere for just a split second, and when she shook her head to further bring herself back to reality, she glanced up to see Severus Snape and his hooked nose standing before her.</p>
<p>"Ms. Flint, come with me," he said, and he lifted his chin in a signal for her to follow him. She reluctantly stood and pocketed both the letter and the parcel, her breath hitching as Winnie looked over in her direction. For a split second, they looked at each other, but then the blonde looked away as if they had never locked eyes at all. Her own watered as she spun on her heel and followed her godfather out of the Great Hall and down the stone staircase that led to the dungeons.</p>
<p>Cordelia followed him inside and took the seat opposite him as he lowered himself into the chair behind the desk. A stack of pamphlets lay on top of a pile of papers, of which Snape pulled out a sheet, running a thin, white finger along the words written on it.</p>
<p>"I'm sure you know why you're here, Ms. Flint," He said as he then unrolled a sheet of parchment, tearing it off with a sound that made Cordelia twitch. He unwrapped a new quill from its covering and set it down beside the now-unrolled piece of parchment.</p>
<p>"I don't, actually," She told him, eyes averting to the pamphlets that sat in front of her.</p>
<p>"I'm assuming you saw your appointment time, on the board in the common room?" He asked, raising a dark eyebrow that ended up being hidden by a lock of his greasy black hair.</p>
<p>"Appointment for what?" She was now feeling frustrated, her fingers clenching the underside of her chair so hard that her knuckles turned white. She didn't understand why he had to interrupt her just as she got the news of her mother's condition. Was whatever this was so important that he just had to make her come with him? She let out a huff as he continued on.</p>
<p>"It's a wonder how you get such good grades when you're so oblivious to simple matters," he spoke breathless, looking up through his hooked nose at her before continuing. "We're to be discussing courses for next term," he pronounced slowly as he continued to read over the paper. "But before we begin, I have a few other things we need to discuss beforehand. First I would like to offer my condolences about your mother, I was contacted this morning regarding her condition."</p>
<p>"Thanks," She replied, her voice void of any emotion. The last thing she wanted to be doing at eight o'clock in the morning was talking to Severus Snape about her sick mother.</p>
<p>"Would you like some tea?"</p>
<p>The sudden politeness of her professor made her skin crawl, and she quickly shook her head. "No, thank you," she declined the offer, feeling more and more uncomfortable by the second. He seemed to pick up on this, for he cleared his throat and the next words that came out of his mouth strayed far, far away from the topic of her mother's illness.</p>
<p>"You are well aware that you will be taking classes specifically catered to what you will be doing in a future career after you leave school, correct?" He spoke as he dipped his quill into ink and awaited her response.</p>
<p>"Yes, professor," she replied.</p>
<p>"Do you have any ideas about what you would like to do?" Professor Snape questioned as she avoided his gaze. She really did not feel competent enough to answer this question right now, but she supposed she had to do it, anyway.</p>
<p>"I've thought of working as an Auror, honestly," she told him with the shrug of her shoulders, and his eyes widened slightly. "And also, maybe, a curse breaker for Gringotts. One of my older cousins is a curse breaker, and he seems to enjoy it very much."</p>
<p>"You do understand that becoming an Auror is a rigorous thing," he cautioned as he scribbled on the parchment. She couldn't quite read it from here, not with his messy handwriting or the fact that the paper was upside down. "The courses from here on out, if you go that route, are incredibly difficult. Many don't even get accepted into training."</p>
<p>"Is this your way of telling me I won't be any good at it, Professor?" She asked, trying to keep her voice as calm as she could, but it came out harsher than she had intended. He simply narrowed her eyes at her, and he lowered his voice.</p>
<p>"I'm going to tell you this as your godfather, not your Professor," he disclosed, leaning forward slightly against the desk. "If you decide to take this path, it will not go over well with your family."</p>
<p>"Why do you care?" She scoffed, folding her arms over her chest and throwing her head back. "It's not like you were ever a part of my life, Professor. I can go with whatever career path I would like, with or without your permission."</p>
<p>"Do not get an attitude with me, Ms. Flint," Snape scolded, his lip curling. "I am just trying to advise you against--"</p>
<p>"I don't need your advice, Professor," She snapped, standing up angrily as she glowered at him. "I'm perfectly capable of making decisions on my own."</p>
<p>"You are capable, Ms. Flint," said Professor Snape as she strode towards the doorway. "Sit back down, we are not finished discussing courses."</p>
<p>"I'd rather not," Cordelia sneered at him, pulling open the heavy door. "I'm taking the Auror courses."</p>
<p>With that, she stormed out of the room, leaving her godfather sitting at his desk, watching after her with a blank expression on his face.</p>
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<p>Cordelia spent the rest of her day avoiding everyone. She knew it wasn't the smartest thing to do, separating herself from those who had done nothing wrong to her, but she couldn't help it-- it was like her involuntary response to stress.</p>
<p>Later that night, well, extremely late into the night, she found herself leaving her bed still wide awake even at half past twelve. Her brain had been working so hard all day, from being back in class to making sure she didn't overwhelm herself with the thoughts that always plagued her mind, but surprisingly, instead of wearing her out like it usually would, it was the opposite.</p>
<p>Pulling on a robe over her Slytherin pajamas and slipping on a pair of slippers, she left her dorm, walking out of the hall. The common room was empty, as it usually is at that hour, aside for the blonde head of Draco Malfoy curled up on the couch, snores filling the room. She giggled quietly at the sight (and at the noise) as she left the Slytherin wing of the dungeons all together, trudging up the steps and out into the open hall.</p>
<p>The soft light of the candles on the walls illuminated her figure as she walked, the sound of her footsteps concealed by the soft material of her slippers. She followed the path she usually did on nights like these when she couldn't sleep, one that she had been following for almost five years now and one that would lead her up to the Astronomy Tower.</p>
<p>As she passed the snoring portraits that lined the walls, she found herself getting distracted by observing them, eyes flickering from one painting to the next, admiring the details. Cordelia had always wanted to be creative like that, wanting to be able to draw something so realistic it looked like a photo, to design something with such detail that it made it look real. Theo could do that-- she had gone through his sketchbook every so often to see a portrait of someone she knew. She remembered when they were younger and she would pose a certain way to help him practice his human sketches, and when she would look at them afterward, it looked like there was a picture of her on the page. It was marvelous.</p>
<p>Before she could reach the next staircase, something collided with her and she toppled to the floor. Looking around her with the weight of the thing on top of her, she didn't see anything-- just the open air, nothing else. She knew it wasn't a ghost, because they could be seen. Then she felt something cover her mouth and she almost screamed, until Harry Potter appeared out of thin air, after seeming like he had been wearing something that rendered him invisible.</p>
<p>"Shh!" He whispered as he continued to clamp his hand over her mouth. She stared up at him, frozen under the gaze of his green eyes before he let go and she still lay on the ground. "Don't yell, it's just me."</p>
<p>"What the bloody hell are you doing? Why were you- why were you invisible?" She whisper-shouted at him as he held out a hand to help her up. She took it, and he pulled her up.</p>
<p>"It's a long story," Harry grimaced as he shoved something into the pocket of his cloak. "But that's not the point. What are you doing here?"</p>
<p>"I was going to the astronomy tower," Cordelia countered, folding her arms across her chest and giving him a look. "What are you doing here?"</p>
<p>"I was on my way back to Gryffindor Tower," Harry replied, and they began to walk towards the staircase that led to both the Gryffindor and Astronomy towers. "But if I'm being honest, I don't really want to go back yet. Mind if I join you?"</p>
<p>"No, not at all," and they began to fall in step with each other as they climbed the stairs, following the familiar path she always took.</p>
<p>"What were you doing out?" Cordelia asked him as they approached the next set of stairs.</p>
<p>"I had--" He hesitated for a moment, looking over in her direction before continuing on. "I had remedial potions with Snape."</p>
<p>"Ew, you did?" She wrinkled her nose, remembering her foul interaction with the Professor earlier. "This late?"</p>
<p>"I had to take care of a few things afterward, too," he said quickly, rubbing the back of his neck.</p>
<p>"I thought Snape didn't offer remedial Potions. Or else Theo would have a better grade," she laughed slightly, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. She yawned, remembering it was almost one in the morning, but she didn't care. Half an hour up at the Astronomy Tower would work wonders.</p>
<p>Harry pursed his lips, pausing to think for a moment before replying again. "Actually, can I ask you something?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, anything," she told him, just as they pushed open the door at the bottom of the Astronomy Tower level.</p>
<p>"Do you know anything about Occlumency?" He asked her, his footsteps echoing in the circular tower. The spiral staircase loomed up above them, and as they continued up, he fiddled with his fingers. The light of the candles on the wall reflected against the frames in his glasses and his emerald eyes, and she felt her cheeks warm slightly at the sight of him.</p>
<p>"I do, actually," she divulged as they continued up the staircase, the entrance to the Astronomy Tower just ahead of them. "I'm pretty good at it if I say so myself. Why?" She pushed open the door, but just as Harry took a step up beside her and opened his mouth to reply, she placed a hand on his elbow to steer him back down, to leave the Astronomy Tower behind.</p>
<p>Why? Because Winifred Bulstrode was standing there, clad in pink pajamas and bunny slippers.</p>
<p>Shit.</p>
<p>"Oh, don't you dare! Cordelia Flint, you get back here!" The blonde burst out, surging forward to grab Cordelia's wrist. She had made it down a step before her cousin pulled her back up, letting out a strained gasp as she stumbled over Harry's foot as he tried to take a step back. "We are going to talk, this is so--"</p>
<p>"There's nothing to talk about, Winifred, now please," Cordelia snapped back, eyes flashing as she ripped her wrist from Winnie's grasp, the girl's eye visibly twitching with the use of her full name. Cordelia felt bad for a split second, but then the feeling went away, replaced with anger.</p>
<p>"Oh, so I'm Winifred now when you're pissed? Real mature Cordelia, really, let me clap," Winnie seethed, throwing up her hands and clapping three times, the sounds ringing around them as she pierced her gaze onto her cousin, whose hand tightened against her sides slightly, her hands curling into fists.</p>
<p>"Is now really the time for this, I mean..."</p>
<p>"Shut it, Harry!" The two girls yelled at the same time, each looking at the bespectacled boy with a look of fury and deep-rooted anger in their chest. Cordelia's chest heaved with each breath, everything she dealt with the past few weeks coming to the surface like someone was pushing a knife through her skull.</p>
<p>"You want to talk about maturity? Why don't you take some responsibility for what the fuck you did?" Cordelia reflected, pointing a finger at Winnie who simply swatted it away before quickly taking a step forward.</p>
<p>"What the fuck I did?" Winnie half-shouted half-whispered before her head fell back in a loud laugh. Hair fell down around her shoulders before she snapped her gaze back to her cousin, face flushed in fury with narrowed eyes. "You don't even fucking know what I did, I did it for you, you selfish bitch!"</p>
<p>"For me?" Cordelia questioned in disbelief, her world thumping off her parted lips like snake venom, as bitter and cold as the air surrounding them. "You didn't do this for me, you did this for you. Just like you do everything else, it's for you."</p>
<p>"What the fuck is that suppose to mean?" Winnie snapped, stepping closer the same time Cordelia did, clenching her jaw and her hand flying to the pocket where she kept her wand. Win The moonlight trickled in on them, their shadows illuminating onto the stone floor like angry snakes while Harry's stood still in the background.</p>
<p>"You must be really fucking dumb," the brunette laughed bitterly, blue eyes like a stormy sea and raging storm. "You lied to me, you kept this from me. I trusted you, I guess that was my fault. You did this so you could have something else to blame on the fact you push everyone away, on the fact that you're a stubborn bitch." She snapped, pointing a finger brutally at Winnie's chest.</p>
<p>The blonde lost it, and before Cordelia could react, her hand moved out in front of her resulting in a loud slap, the sound ringing throughout the tower. Cordelia's face fell to the side, a red hand mark printed across the surface of her face, shining in the moonlight. Winnie's hand fell to her side, the anger clear as the brunette's face stung with the pressure from her cousin's slap.</p>
<p>"I lied to you! Oh yes, Miss. Perfect Cordelia Flint has always been so honest about everything. But tell me, dear cousin, what happened to Max?" Winnie questioned, a smile ghosting across her lips as he pulled her fingers into a fist. It was the wrong thing to say in the lines of things, but nothing could've stopped what happened next. Not even Harry, who had surged forward to try and end the ridiculous fight brought on by two people who were too stubborn to admit they were both wrong.</p>
<p>Cordelia's wand flew into her hand, pointing inside the square at Winnie, and before the blonde could even react, she was flown back against the wall. She landed with a loud 'thump' against the stone, a stupefy leaving Cordelia's lips as she stared daggers at her cousin.</p>
<p>"Don't you dare bring him into this," Cordelia snapped, her voice wavering as if she could break off and cry any minute. Winnie pushed herself up, ignoring the painful look in her cousin's eyes as she opened her mouth to speak again. "Sod off."</p>
<p>"Gladly," Winnie snapped back, tearing her eyes away as Harry finally made a move, grabbing Cordelia's arm and pulling her out of the way, back down the stairs of the tower. Her chest continued to heave, sharp pain in her chest as she failed to take a deep breath to soothe her as angry tears stung at the corners of her eyes.</p>
<p>"What was that about?" Harry asked after a moment of silence between the two, just as they left the Tower and found themselves back in the confines of the castle walls.</p>
<p>"Don't, Harry," she mumbled, wiping the tears as they fell down her pink cheeks that still stung from the cold. "Leave it."</p>
<p>"Cordelia, I just--"</p>
<p>"Did you not just fucking hear me?" She raised her voice at him, residual anger bubbling to the surface. When his face fell and he averted his eyes to the floor, she bit her lip and glanced away from him, ignoring the tightness that had just now formed in her chest.</p>
<p>"That's not fair," Harry told her, and he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm your friend, you know. I want to help. You can tell me everything, or nothing at all. But there's no point in snapping at me."</p>
<p>"I know, I'm sorry..." She began, but he just shook his head.</p>
<p>"Don't apologize. I know you're hurt, but... you need to learn how to let people help you, so you don't have to do everything alone. Trust me, I know what it feels like. But now I have Ron, Hermione..." He took a step closer to her, but she didn't look to him like she knew he expected her to. She couldn't muster up the energy to do so, and suddenly her body felt numb, like she could fall asleep right here... "You can do it, I know you can. And I'll be here if you need it."</p>
<p>Cordelia finally looked up into his green eyes, and he offered her a smile. "Goodnight," he pushed his glasses up the bridge of this nose. "I'll see you tomorrow."</p>
<p>She wanted to tell him something else, to get him to stay, but he was already off, and then, before she knew it, he threw something on over his shoulders, and he was gone.</p>
<p>She was then left by herself, alone with her thoughts as she stood in the middle of the hall, heart pounding loud in her chest as she let her mind take over, to mask the pain caused by the hollowness of her heart and the aching thought and the thought that she had lost Winifred Bulstrode forever.</p>
<p>She went to sleep that night hoping that, one day, they could restore what they had lost, but she knew it was unlikely.</p>
<p>She had truly lost her best friend, and there was nothing she could do but hope.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. nighttime shenanigans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Once upon a time, a long time ago, there had been a time where every breath she took felt intoxicating, the large amount of serotonin overriding her every thought and movement. Everything then was so much simpler, just her and her cousins running around in the garden, making snow angels or tossing around a football, not a single worry on their mind-- at most, Cordelia worried about the flowers she had so carefully placed being trampled and destroyed.</p>
<p>Happy memories flooded her mind, and as she lay wide awake, eyes staring blankly at the ceiling as the clock on her nightstand ticked, she suddenly felt submerged, as if she were underwater and couldn't get out. She shut her eyes tight, trying to rid the images, but it was like they were burned into the back of her eyelids, and all she continued to see was the smiling face of Winnie Bulstrode and the buck-toothed grin of Maximus Flint.</p>
<p>Cordelia sat up with a gasp, wiping the cold sweat from her brow. In the darkness, she could vaguely see the clock, and when she saw it read four-forty-five, she let out a groan and let her head fall back onto her pillow. She dragged a hand across her face as her chest continued to heave, and decided that she couldn't stay here any longer.</p>
<p>Once again, for the second time that night, she slipped her feet into her slippers and left the dorm, taking note that Claire's bed was empty as it always was this early. She trudged out of the hallway, her feet carrying her out of the girl's wing of the dormitories and over to where the boys started. She paused for a moment outside the door to Theo's dormitory, but before she could contemplate that it might give off the wrong impression for her to be inside a boy's bedroom this late at night (or early in the morning), she twisted the door handle and walked inside.</p>
<p>A thud from across the room made her wince, and she saw that Draco Malfoy, who was just pulling off his sleep shirt, had jumped so badly out of fright that he hit his head on the wooden top of his four-poster. He groaned, and the noise caused Theo on his end of the room to stir, as well as Blaise, Vincent Crabbe, and Gregory Goyle.</p>
<p>"What the bloody hell are you doing in here so early?" Draco hissed, rubbing the top of his head as she made her way over to Theo's bed.</p>
<p>Cordelia promptly ignored him, instead shaking Theo awake. His eyes flew open, and when he saw her staring down at him, he curled up deeper under his covers and let out a small sigh. "What?"</p>
<p>"Scoot over," she told him, and he reluctantly did so, moving back towards the wall to make room for her. She crawled in beside him, bringing the covers up to her chest and laying her head down on the other half of his pillow. Facing each other as Draco grumbled behind them, he let out a breath.</p>
<p>"Are you okay?" He said, keeping his voice as quiet as possible without having to whisper-- he was notorious for having a sensitivity to that tone of voice, often describing it like 'nails on a chalkboard'.</p>
<p>"No," she admitted, adjusting her position in his bed. "I-"</p>
<p>"Flint, now isn't the time to be promiscuous," said Draco, and she turned her head to glare at him. He was pulling on his Slytherin seeker uniform over a white tank top, a small smirk on his lips. She heard Theo's grunt of disapproval behind her as he said, "It's too early for your shenanigans."</p>
<p>"Shut up, Draco," she seethed back at him, and he raised an eyebrow at her. She usually let him drone on, but at this moment in time, she really, really wasn't feeling up to listen to his bullshit. It often didn't bother her, unless he was talking about someone she really loved or cared for, and her feeling like she could snap at any minute compared with his idiotic shit talk was definitely not a good combination.</p>
<p>"You're the one who barged into my dorm at five o'clock in the morning," He snapped back, taking a look in the mirror he had hanging on the wall and fixing his hair. "Next time, if you need someone to satisfy your needs, wait until no one else is here, okay? I don't want to hear you two getting it on while I'm in the room."</p>
<p>"Don't be such a prude," she complained, turning back over so she could face Theo again. He had a scowl on his face, evident even under the faint light of the one candle lit over on Draco's side of the room.</p>
<p>"And to think, I thought you had a thing for the Bulstrode girl, Theodore," Draco drawled on, striding over to them. She felt his presence like a fly that wouldn't stop circling around her, and she pursed her lips and gave him one last look.</p>
<p>"Shut the hell up before you regret it," Theo propped himself up on one elbow as the words laced with venom left his mouth, and Cordelia hoped that Draco would take the hint and leave, but his lips only tilted upwards once more in another smirk, eyes flitting between her and Theo.</p>
<p>"Make me," he ended. Then he spun on his heel, picked up his broomstick from under his bed, and left the dormitory without another word, leaving Cordelia staring daggers at him as the door shut with a click. She groaned loudly, and when Blaise met her with a shhh from his bed across from her, she grimaced and turned back over to face Theo once more.</p>
<p>"I'm sorry for coming in so early," she apologized, but he held up a finger to shush her. He picked up his wand from the shelf above his bed, muttered something under his breath as he waved his wand, and then nodded for her to continue as he set it down.</p>
<p>"Just a spell so they won't hear anything," he told her, and she gave him a small smile before she spoke again.</p>
<p>"I just needed some company," she confided in him, wrapping herself up more with the blankets as a shiver ran down her body from the cold. Feeling tears well up in her eyes, she shut them tight, not wanting to let a single droplet fall in fear she would break down. She didn't want to burden her best friend with that, so she made sure she was composed before opening her eyes again. "I'm so tired, Theo."</p>
<p>"Tired of what?" She had tried to insinuate that she was tired because she hadn't slept in the last twenty-four hours, but he obviously knew better. She wasn't surprised-- she could easily say that he knew her better than she knew herself, and that scared her, scared her so much that she let out a small gasp and cupped her face in her hands. "Hey, hey, it's okay."</p>
<p>The tear she was trying so hard to not let fall dripped down her cheek, and she took in a heaving breath as she realized she couldn't keep her composure as well as she thought. "Everything, Theo. I need a break, I can't do this anymore."</p>
<p>"Talk to me, what happened?" His green eyes darkened with concern as he flipped his pillow over, running a hand through his dark brown locks before setting his head back down on the silk pillowcase.</p>
<p>"Christmas sucked," Cordelia let out a harsh laugh, and Theo frowned slightly. "I found out my father isn't really my father, Winnie and I aren't speaking, and I think something is wrong with my brother. You know, just the usual."</p>
<p>"You and Winnie aren't-- wait, what did you say about your father?" Theo was now sitting up, apprehension written all over his face. The dark circles under his eyes seemed more vibrant as she looked at him from where she was still laying down, and she flipped over so that she was now laying on her back, eyes staring at the top of his four-poster.</p>
<p>"He's not my father. My mother had an affair," she told him. When he didn't say anything, she glanced up at him to see him watching her, eyes flickering over her face as a sullen look graced his features. "And you'll never guess who it is."</p>
<p>"Who?"</p>
<p>"Gilderoy fucking Lockhart," Cordelia threw her arms up in the air and then let them fall in exasperation, and she could sense Theo tense at the words. "I know, I know. Makes no sense. Then my brother is acting weird--"</p>
<p>"Wait, you can't just go from one topic to the next--"</p>
<p>"And, making things worse, Winnie and I got into a fight tonight. Up in the Astronomy Tower. It was bad, I did and said some things I really shouldn't have."</p>
<p>"Hey," Theo placed his hand over hers, and she looked over at him again. Downhearted green eyes met hers and bit her lip as his face searched hers, evidently looking for something to say to calm her down. She was rambling at this point, and she wondered briefly if it could be a side effect of her not having slept. "Slow down, one at a time. Tell me about Winnie, you seem more upset about that. What happened?"</p>
<p>Cordelia sighed, raising her palms to her face and rubbing her eyes. Her head pounded, clearly from her exhaustion, and she just wanted to sleep... but the fight with Winnie still blared in her head, as if she was still there, shouting obscenities at her beloved cousin as she shoved her against the wall in the moonlight. Her heart broke then and there, remembering the terrible things she said, and the tears suddenly fell down her face like a waterfall. Theo froze, staring at her as if he had become a statue as she cried into her hands, sobs seeming to tear her body apart piece by piece.</p>
<p>"I called her selfish... I told her she didn't care about anyone but herself--" She hiccuped, let out another small cry, and then took a deep breath that was necessary in order for her to continue speaking. "It's not true, it isn't. I just don't understand how she could lie to me, Theo, she has no reason to lie to me."</p>
<p>Theo finally seemed to muster up the courage to speak just as she shut her eyes while more tears fell, settling into the crook of her neck. Her body just wanted to shut down, and she began to feel herself drift off into the dream world, but was shaken out of it with the sound of Theo's deep voice.</p>
<p>"You need to talk to her, maturely," he said, and Cordelia scoffed.</p>
<p>"Oh, you want to talk about maturity? Says the one who--"</p>
<p>"Don't you dare finish that sentence," Theo gritted his teeth, staring down at her so hard that she had to glance away. "I'm trying to help, you're the one who crawled into my bed at five in the morning upset. Let me talk, okay?"</p>
<p>She breathed in and stretched out her arms. "Fine."</p>
<p>"Look, just know that she's having a hard time too right now, okay? If you talk things out, I'm sure everything will work out," he said, and her eyes flew open again just as she began to close them.</p>
<p>"She's talked to you about this?" Cordelia demanded, and a small growl was heard from the back of her throat in anger. "What the fuck?"</p>
<p>"Cor..."</p>
<p>"I need to sleep," She told him, and she pulled the covers further up her chest, closing her eyes for what would be the last time that morning. She felt Theo's fingers weave through her hair as she felt her body begin to go numb, a sign she was about to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep, and the thought that she would be at peace for the first time in weeks seemed to comfort her more than the solace of Theodore Nott's presence.</p>
<p>The last thing she heard before she drifted off was Theo's sigh, and him saying, "Did you just fall asleep?"</p>
<p>Yes, yes she did, she answered in her mind, before she was gone, the stillness of her mind feeling like a breath of fresh air.</p>
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<p>She would have liked to sleep through the rest of the day, but it seems as though everyone else had other plans, or they just wanted to shit on her parade: she had just rolled over and settled deeper into the pillow when she was met with someone hitting her in the face with a pillow.</p>
<p>Cordelia yelled, her eyes flying open and she was met with the face of Blaise Zabini standing over her, his own pillow in his hands. He was staring down at her, watching as she blinked, confused as to why in the bloody hell he had just hit her with a pillow! He couldn't have just tapped her on the shoulder, or shaken her awake?</p>
<p>"Your cousin is outside," he said, shifting his weight on his feet. He gestured towards a pile of clothes on the floor beside him, and she recognized her Slytherin school robes, a tie, and the uniform skirt and blouse. She frowned, rubbing her eyes as he sucked his teeth and returned his pillow to his bed. "She said to get changed, she brought some clothes."</p>
<p>"Winnie's in the common room?" She groaned, not wanting to have to confront Winnie just yet, but as Blaise shook her head she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Cordelia sat up, swinging her legs over the side of Theo's bed while Blaise picked up the clothes and handed them to her. "Millicent?"</p>
<p>He nodded, and he made his way towards the door, but she stopped him. "What does she want?" She asked him, and he let out a sigh, seemingly annoyed about it all.</p>
<p>"Something about Umbridge, a meeting or whatever. Has some updates for you," he replied stoically, adjusting the cuffs of his dress shirt. His dark eyes twinkled and his skin seemed to glow in the now sunlight-filled room, she noticed as she stood up, taking her clothes from his hands.</p>
<p>"Thanks, I guess," she told him. He nodded at her, then stood there for a moment as they looked at each other, brown eyes meeting blue before he promptly twisted open the door and left the room, leaving her alone to change.</p>
<p>She slipped on her uniform and robes, finding that her Inquisitorial Squad pin was already fastened on the front, and she narrowed her eyes as she realized that Millicent Bulstrode had touched her belongings. Not that it would be a bad thing for her to do so, but it sort of was, because it was her hands that had likely been the reason why Winnie was no longer a part of her family, a part of her life. It was her that had caused so many issues for the girls in the past, and it was her that had destroyed almost all of her best friend's self-worth over the last five years, so forgive her if she held a grudge for the blonde.</p>
<p>When she was dressed, she left the dorm room while tying her hair into a long braid that fell down her back. She approached the end of the hall, took in a deep breath in preparation for seeing her cousin, and then took a step into the common room. Millicent was waiting, her hair neatly tied up into a ponytail at the nape of her neck, her posture so straight that she looked deadly as she waited patiently by the couches.</p>
<p>"Hello, cousin," said Millicent, sticking out a hand for her to shake. Cordelia eyed it and didn't take it, instead averting her eyes someplace else while Millie narrowed her own. "I see you're not one for formalities, are you?"</p>
<p>"Never have, never will be," replied Cordelia bitterly, shoving her hands into the pockets of her robes. "Did you need something?"</p>
<p>"Oh, yes," Millie handed her a piece of paper, of which both their names were listed. "You missed the first Inquisitorial Squad meeting. Professor Umbridge--" Cordelia rolled her eyes at the name, earning a pointed glare from Millicent, "--has assigned us to be on patrol together, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturdays during the lunch hour. Today's our first go at it, exciting, isn't it?"</p>
<p>"You've got to be kidding me," She groaned to herself, pinching the bridge of her nose as she looked at the schedule that Millie had handed to her. "I couldn't have been assigned to anyone else?"</p>
<p>"It wasn't my decision," Millie snapped back, turning around and walking towards the door that leads out of the common room, gesturing for Cordelia to follow her. "Believe me, I wouldn't have chosen you."</p>
<p>"Who pissed in your cereal this morning?" Cordelia scoffed as they headed up the stairs, leaving the dungeon entirely and heading towards the main corridors.</p>
<p>"I'd recommend you try your best to be civil with me, Cordelia," said Millicent calmly, giving her a sidelong glance. The brunette folded her arms across her chest, making sure it was clear how much she did not appreciate her sleep being interrupted by her cousin's (could she even be considered her cousin anymore? They haven't had any good moments together since they were ten and, besides, they never got along great in the first place) desire to be seen in good eyes under the High Inquisitor. "I haven't done anything to wrong you, I'd rather not have to withhold your invite to the gala."</p>
<p>Cordelia pursed her lips as they finally exited the dungeons. "What gala?"</p>
<p>"It's a celebration, in honor of me getting betrothed," Millie smiled to herself, while Cordelia gaped at her. She was getting married? They were only fifteen! Yes, Millicent might only be a few months older than her, but she's not getting married. It made absolutely no sense.</p>
<p>"You're getting married? To who?" Cordelia asked her. A duo of third-year Hufflepuffs, a boy and a girl, were sitting on a bench, holding hands as they talked. She watched as Millicent strode over to them, taking a quick glance at the paper in her hands with the rules pertaining to Inquisitorial Squad member's abilities, taking points away for them showing 'P.D.A' and violating the six-inch rule for boys and girls. Then, as if she had done nothing at all, Millie returned to her side and continued to walk through the corridor, leaving the Hufflepuffs behind, looking very, very confused.</p>
<p>"I'm not allowed to say," She replied with a smirk, twisting the opal ring on her finger in a way that felt very familiar to her. Cordelia knew that was a habit of Winnie's when she was nervous or stressed, and she had to force herself to look away out of the sheer nature of the action, realizing how alike the two girls looked with a frown. "It's supposed to be a secret. He doesn't even know yet, believe it or not. And the gala isn't for a year, but it's going to be very extravagant, so it needs much planning."</p>
<p>"You can tell me who it is," she said, examining her hands as they continued to walk. "I won't say anything. Besides, who have I got to tell? Your sister and I aren't speaking, Claire wouldn't care, and Theo is just... Theo."</p>
<p>At the mention of her best friend, Millie's eyes lit up in excitement, making the brunette's eyebrows furrow. "Well, I'll give you a hint," the blonde said as they turned the corner, "You know him well, if not extremely well. A family friend to both us Bulstrode's and you Flint's... I think you can put the pieces together.''</p>
<p>Did she say what she thought she said? Or did she just happen to hear that Millicent Bulstrode happened to be engaged to Theodore fucking Nott, the boy who was very much in love with her sister?</p>
<p>"Please tell me you're not engaged to Theo," Cordelia hesitated, raising an eyebrow at her cousin who simply smiled a knowing smile.</p>
<p>"Do you have a problem with it, cousin?" Millicent replied, a smirk twisting her lips upward.</p>
<p>"No, but I know someone who does," Cordelia yawned, just as she saw a familiar group of Gryffindors turned the corner just ahead of them. With a pang in her stomach, she noticed it was Harry, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and, unfortunately, Winnie Bulstrode, who even from the distance away Cordelia could see her eyes flash at the sight of her devil's spawn sister and cousin who might as well be the devil herself in her eyes. Cordelia grimaced, bracing for the impact that was sure to come.</p>
<p>Except, when it didn't, and she blinked in surprise.</p>
<p>Millie watched her sister pass them without a word, weaving her way in between them as if they didn't exist. Harry, Ron, and Hermione eyed them carefully before they too passed them. Harry grabbed her arm as he passed, pulling her aside as Millie took twenty points from Gryffindor for Ron's wrinkled uniform shirt and Hermione's frizzy hair that was 'distracting'.</p>
<p>"Hey, do you mind meeting me at the library after classes tomorrow?" Harry asked her, and she pursed her lips. "I need some help with Occlumency if that's okay. If you're not busy, that is."</p>
<p>"No, of course," Cordelia nodded immediately, glad for an excuse to avoid Millie's gaze on her back. "Library, you said? Are you sure that's the best place to practice it?"</p>
<p>"Yes, I'm sure," He said quickly, and then, before she could protest that it would be better to find a better place, he said, "Look, I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow?"</p>
<p>"Oh, um, yeah," she said, nodding her head. He gave her a pat on the shoulder before hurrying off to join Hermione, Ron, and Winnie, who was waiting at the end of the hall staring daggers at the back of her sister's head.</p>
<p>"Since when do you talk to Potter?" Millicent trilled, purposely clicking the heels of her shoes on the stone floor as they walked in the opposite direction.</p>
<p>"Since when do you care who I talk to? From what I remember we barely speak," Cordelia shot back, making Millicent laugh in a way she had never heard before as she adjusted her sleeve.</p>
<p>"I'm just trying to make conversation," she mused, brushing the face-framing pieces of her hair out of her face. "No need to be so difficult all the time, Cordelia. If only you had gotten the same training at home as I did, then maybe you wouldn't be so rude."</p>
<p>"I'm not being rude," she defended herself, rounding on her cousin who simply looked at her with bored green eyes. "I just have no patience for you and your bullshit."</p>
<p>"Oh, please," Millicent scoffed, throwing her head back.</p>
<p>"You know, Winnie deserves a sister better than you," Cordelia told her, circling around behind her. This was true: even if she and Winnie were not on speaking terms at the moment, there was a part of her that felt like, even in this situation, that needed to defend Winnie. They were, after all, still family, no matter what happened between them. "She's too good for you. For all of you, you hear me?"</p>
<p>Millicent just glowered at her as Cordelia turned her back on her. "Think you can handle the rest of patrol by yourself, cousin?"</p>
<p>"You can't just leave," Millicent snapped, grabbing her wrist to pull her back just as Winnie had before, but she snatched it out of her grasp.</p>
<p>"Watch me," Cordelia spat at her. True to her word, she turned on her heel, brushed her hair out of her face, and sped off in the opposite direction, leaving Millicent alone in the hallway with the permanent scowl on her face. She heard the girl snap at a fellow student before she was finally out of earshot, and she could breathe normally again.</p>
<p>But damn, that felt good.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. secrets untold always come to light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her hair fell in soft ringlets around her shoulders, free from the captivating braid they had been held in the night before. Cordelia's heels clicked on the floor as she wove her way through the sea of students exiting the various classroom doors on either side of the corridor. She felt slightly more at ease, a result of spending her day in solitude, but still not like herself. It was as though the weight of everything on her shoulders was tearing her down with every step and every breath she took, but she could live through it. She'd lived with the guilt of her brother's death since she was eleven, and that feeling was far worse than just having untold secrets lying above her head, so she supposed she could get through it soon enough, with time.</p><p>Usually, spending her time in a way that Winnie had always called "introvert days" gave her energy, enough energy to face other people, but on this day, it didn't. In fact, she sort of dreaded meeting Harry at the library for Occlumency practice— it was a dangerous thing, well, it could be, and she wasn't too keen on the fact that, if he succeeded, he might be able to see into the deepest and darkest parts of her mind.</p><p>Her day had gone smooth enough, thank Merlin for it, but she knew it was because she had to put a face on... chin up, speak only when spoken to, smile. It was something she's been used to, always pretending she was fine when, really, she was drowning in her own suffering. But, truly, she was fine! She was fine.</p><p>She was fine.</p><p>Cordelia let out a breath when she approached the library, pressing herself up against the stone wall as students poured in and out of the room as if they were on a conveyor belt. At the end of the hall, just ahead of her, she noticed that Harry was just coming towards her, having just parted ways with Theodore Nott.</p><p>Weird.</p><p>He advanced towards her, adjusting his glasses while avoiding running into other students in the hall. "Hey," he said, a small smile on his lips. She returned it, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she bit her lip. "Do you mind coming with me to Professor McGonagall's office? I need to pick something up really quick, Hermione was supposed to come with me, but.."</p><p>"Sure," she agreed before he could finish, making his green eyes light up. He inclined his head towards the direction he had come from, and they set off towards the Transfiguration professor's classroom. "What do you need to get?"</p><p>Harry fiddled with the cuffs of his shirt. "Just an assignment, I told Ron I would pick it up for him since he missed class earlier. He's not feeling well, you see."</p><p>"But... he was in class," Cordelia quirked an eyebrow at him, and his cheeks flushed slightly red.</p><p>"No, erm... I just need to pick something up for someone, it'll be quick," He insisted, and she laughed a little, moving slightly closer to him. "Anyway. How's your day been?"</p><p>"Not bad," she admitted with the shrug of her shoulders as they walked through the corridor, feeling herself blush slightly as her fingers gently grazed his. "Yours?"</p><p>"Alright," He said. "Not very eventful. Oh, by the way, did you happen to check your coin for the next meeting date?"</p><p>Cordelia's eyebrows furrowed, confused as to what he was talking about before the image of the fake golden galleon appeared in her mind. She let out a sigh, shaking her head with a light laugh. "Oh, no. I didn't. When is it?"</p><p>They turned the corner just ahead, nearing the staircase leading down to the first floor. "Friday, same time, same place." He clicked his tongue. "Topic is the Patronus charm."</p><p>"That's exciting," she told him, a genuine smile creeping onto her face as they set off down the stairs, robes billowing behind them.</p><p>"Yeah, it is," Harry replied, and then they fell silent, the quietness of the castle surrounding them. The door to the classroom was just ahead of them. "Oh, I wanted to ask—"</p><p>But before the question could leave his mouth, Cordelia stopped in her tracks as two people emerged from the other side of the corridor. Winifred Bulstrode and Theo Nott stood just ahead, the blonde's eyes wide as she threw the boy a nasty look. For a moment, Cordelia saw herself pushing her cousin against the wall, wand in her face as they shouted at each other under the light of the moon. She instinctively moved closer to Harry, who looped an arm around her shoulder and squeezed her shoulder to comfort her as the two family members stared daggers at each other.</p><p>"Harry," Winnie spoke softly, offering the boy a smile that he returned, and then focusing her attention back on Cordelia. Her eyes were narrowed ever-so-slightly as she sniffed, tipping her nose into the air and squaring her shoulders in a self-preserving manner. "Cousin." The words were spoken sharply, and Cordelia clenched her jaw as she dug her fingernails into the palm of her hand.</p><p>Winnie then turned, opened her mouth to say something to Theo, but before she could react, the Snake had picked her up by the middle and draped her over his shoulder like a towel. Harry, slightly shorter and less built like Theodore, simply waved his wand in a way that forced Cordelia's hands behind her back and shoved her into the open classroom. "Harry, what—"</p><p>He didn't reply, instead, he gave her a glance, an apologetic smile, and then promptly left the room, shutting the door with a click. She blinked, momentarily stunned by the events that had just taken place, and the sound of the rattling doorknob to her right made her eyes snap to the girl beside her. That's when the puzzle pieces slowly started to come together in her mind: Harry hadn't needed to pick something up for a friend, it was just a devious scam to get her alone in a room with Winnie.</p><p>Merlin, since when did he care about her issues with family? First, it wasn't his business to meddle with her personal life. Secondly, she couldn't help but wonder if Theo was in on the plan... she let out an angry huff, kicking the wall in frustration before digging in her pocket for her wand to unlock the door.</p><p>Except, it wasn't there.</p><p>Damn you, Harry Potter!</p><p>She watched warily, eyes trailing down Winnie's body as the girl patted herself down, clearly looking for her own wand as well. When she let out a growl, that's when she knew that Winnie didn't have hers, either. Oh, the things she would do to Potter and Nott when she got out... she would hex their bloody arses all the way to a place where the sun didn't shine.</p><p>"Guessing you don't have a wand either?" She spoke finally, breaking the silent tension that trickled around them. Winnie clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth, glancing away when Cordelia tried to make eye contact. She shut her eyes, breathing heavily through her nose as the brunette chewed her bottom lip anxiously.</p><p>"Clearly not," Winnie snapped back, shrugging off her outer coat and discarding it on a chair. Cordelia huffed in response, scowling in her direction, untying the tie around her neck that suddenly felt like it was restricting her breathing, letting it drape loosely around her neck. She waited a moment, hoping the blonde would speak again but instead found that she had pulled out a chair and sat down, ignoring her presence.</p><p>"So are you just not going to look at me?" She questioned as she paced the room behind Winnie, twirling a strand of her hair around her fingers.</p><p>"Nope," replied Winnie quickly, popping the 'p'. Her leg bounced on the floor as she leaned back, her arms now crossed over her chest and her lips pressed into a thin line that rivaled Professor McGonagall's on a bad day.</p><p>"Well, that isn't childish at all," Cordelia muttered under her breath, earning a silent roll of the eyes from Winnie, who continued to sit, staring at the wall ahead of her as if she was contemplating destroying it in order to get out. The brunette played with the fraying edges of the sleeves of her robes. It was clear that the eldest Bulstrode did not want to talk to her— it was like she was taking the way she had told her to 'sod off' quite literally and, if she was being honest, she was glad.</p><p>But, deep down, she wanted to talk to her cousin, and in her mind, the only way to do so was to get her attention any way she could— she remembered a time where the blonde had mentioned that chairs screeching on the floor was a pet peeve of hers, so she dragged a chair over so it was just behind her. She saw Winnie visibly twitch at the sound of it, and a cold smile reached her lips in satisfaction.</p><p>There was a time when Cordelia and Winnie were just that— Cordelia and Winnie. They were the token duo in their family, becoming the closest anyone has ever been inside their damaged family tree. Yes, Marcus and one of their older cousins had hit it off, and she, Winnie, Max, and Millie had become a group all in itself, it was the girl's relationship that had the most lasting effect on everyone, even those not even remotely associated with them.</p><p>They climbed trees together as children, played pranks on older family members together, pretended to be princesses, and ride dragons together. Winnie was Cordelia's favorite person, and she knew she always would be, no matter what their relationship was. Because in truth, Cordelia didn't hate the girl, she loved her, and she felt betrayed that she had not seemed to be trustworthy enough for her to tell her the truth.</p><p>It was that thought that made her grit her teeth and finally speak up after what seemed like a millennium of silence parading around them. "Glad you finally decided to tell someone the truth," she spoke bitterly, coming to a halt just behind Winnie. The girl shifted in her seat, obviously uncomfortable.</p><p>"Don't know what you mean," Winnie muttered, an undertone of harshness disguised under the seemingly harmless words.</p><p>"Oh, I think you do," Cordelia commented quickly, and she began to walk back and forth across the room once more.</p><p>"Yeah sorry, forgot I can read minds," the blonde scoffed, pressing her lips into a line once more. They were quiet for a few minutes after that, sitting in a tension-filled silence that drifted around the room like fire. Winnie's foot continued to click against the floor, tap after tap until that was all that swirled through the room. Until finally, a chair clasped to the ground, causing a loud crash to emit through the classroom and Winnie's body to suddenly jump up from her chair. She swirled around, hair swirling behind her with her eyes wide.</p><p>Cordelia stood with her hands balled into fists, the chair she was about to sit in was toppled to the floor behind her. The brunette's face was a wide range of tickled crimson, dots spattered across her cheeks, blue eyes sparking a deep cerulean as she stared harshly at Winnie. The blonde gritted her teeth, nostrils flaring as she trailed her eyes over her cousin one last time, before finally going to turn around once more.</p><p>"No! You don't get to do this to me," Cordelia snapped, rushing forward and grasping Winnie's hand. She quickly snapped her hand away, turning from her mid-way back to her chair, pressing her hand to her chest as she snapped her eyes to Cordelia. "You don't get to shut me out and pretend I don't exist as you do to everyone else," Cordelia added quickly, her words thumping out of her lips with so much emotion that it made her head swirl.</p><p>"You don't get to me what the fuck I do anymore Cordelia," Winnie snapped back, her hand coming down to wrap tightly around the wood on the chair she was sitting on. "I tried to talk to you, I've tried multiple times but each time you've pushed me away. So don't come at me for pushing people away, when you've done the exact same thing with me." She defended, fingers turning white for the tightness of her grip.</p><p>"I was angry at you--"</p><p>"And I needed you!" Winnie cried, her eyes wide and her lip trembling slightly. "I was just disowned from my family, I was almost killed, and you weren't there. You took one look at the situation and decided to leave, you blamed me for hanging out with blood traitors Cordelia! You asked me to go back to my family, my family! You wouldn't even listen to one word I had to say because you already decided in your own head that I did this on purpose, and yes I kept it from you. But you never bothered to ask why either." The blonde breathed heavily, her face flushed and heated with rage as she pointed her finger towards Cordelia, her lips twisting. Cordelia's eyes widened, her body taking a faltering step backward as if Winnie had just slapped her harshly across the face. "I needed you, and you left me." Her words left her mouth at a much quicker pace then, less anger and more of the deep suited sadness and guilt that was clear, making the brunette's eyes begin to water.</p><p>"Did you ever stop to think that I needed you too?" Cordelia whispered after a few moments, Winnie's eyes snapping up from her feet and towards Cordelia's face. She took in a shuddering breath as her eyes glistened in the light of the classroom, the pain that she had shoved down for so long finally bubbling to the surface. Fat tears fell down over the course of her cheeks, still flushed crimson, "What was I supposed to think? We told each other we'd always be there for each other and then I come to your Manor and you're gone. Your room looks like it had been ruined, your face and name is blown off your family tree. Millicent is acting as if you're dead, and you —," She sucked in a sharp breath, her lips trembling as tears continued to run down her face. "You... I thought you were gone like M-Max," she trailed off again as a choked sob rushed through her lips. Both of her hands coming up to cover her mouth as she squeezed her eyes shut, she stood, curling in on herself, as if curling into a ball could save herself from everything terrible and horrible about the world.</p><p>Tears of her own began to fall down Winnie's face, making Cordelia cry harder as sobs escaped her lips and her body shook, trembling so much that the blonde dropped her angry facade and threw herself at her, wrapping her arms tightly around her body to comfort her. Winnie's hold felt overwhelming, and she went to pull away but Winnie just hugged her more tightly, and eventually, she allowed herself to fall deeper into her embrace.</p><p>"Shh Lia, it's okay. I'm okay," Winnie whispered, hugging the girl tightly. "I'm not gone, I'm right here, I promise. Nothing's going to happen to me," she reassured as Cordelia's arms came to hug the blonde back. They had stood like that for a few minutes, Winnie whispering quietly in Cordelia's ear as the girl cried openly, causing wetness to form on Winnie's left shoulder.</p><p>"Sorry," Cordelia mumbled as she pulled away, her hands coming up to wipe furiously at her face as Winnie snorted.</p><p>"Sorry for crying? I cry every day, it's fine," the blonde tried to joke, but it was sourly misplaced as Cordelia simply sniffed and pulled out a seat, sitting down on it. Cordelia was aware of Winnie watching her as she still stood, her shoulders slumping forward and her head falling into her hands. She sucked in a breath as Winnie grasped a chair and pulled it over to sit in front of Cordelia. Her fingers were clasped together as she stared down at her ring while Cordelia took in deeper and deeper breaths. The sound of her sniffling echoed in the room once more, one no longer filled with anger but now with guilt and secrets built upon both of their shoulders, itching to be plucked off.</p><p>"I know about Max," Winnie stated suddenly, and the brunette's gaze drifted up to her as her eyes widened, her mouth falling open in shock. Her eyes stayed cast to her hands, a finger slowly turning her silver ring. She avoided looking at Cordelia at this point, which made her knee begin to bounce up and down on the ground in anticipation. "I uh ... Marcus told me, don't get mad at him, I asked him to."</p><p>"What do you know?" Cordelia questioned quietly, so quietly that one could still hear a pin drop.</p><p>"Your father killed him," Winnie breathed out heavily, and Cordelia hiccuped and glanced away. It was true. Carelton Flint did kill his son, out of anger, out of spite. The memory flashed in front of her eyes as Winnie continued on, her voice thick with emotion. "I didn't try to find out because I was curious, I only did because Millie mentioned something about Max one day and I will ... with the context I needed to know." She admitted quietly, twisting her ring once again.</p><p>"I saw it happen," Cordelia admitted quietly, her words a quiet murmur as Winnie snapped her head up towards the brunette then. Her gaze stayed focused on her lap, where she was anxiously fiddling with the hem of her Slytherin robes. "I saw his body hit the floor and his blood soak into the wood, I —," she paused breathing in deeply as she clenched her hands together on her lap. "Father saw me, I told him I saw nothing, but ... I did. I saw it all," she bitterly laughed then, her voice choked as if she were going to cry once more.</p><p>"Lia, I —," Winnie paused, chewing on her tongue as if trying to find the right words to say. Eventually, she seemed to know what she had to say, and she opened her mouth to speak again. "I understand why you didn't tell me, that's not something that comes up easily," She whispered.</p><p>"Why'd you ask about it anyway?" Cordelia asked suddenly, swiftly changing the subject onto the next problem. Winnie sighed, reaching behind her head to tug the black ribbon out of her hair, leaving the pieces of hair she pulled out of her face that morning to twist downwards around her face. She twirled the black ribbon in between her fingers, before finally speaking. "I received a letter that was meant for Millie one day at lunch. So, I decided to deliver it. So uh ... she started saying things that I needed to get in line, that we had an important guest coming and if I didn't act accordingly I could end up like Max," she admitted quietly, wrapping the ribbon around her fingers and then un-wrapping it. She continued to repeat the action until Cordelia's hand suddenly reached forward and clamped down on her hand with her own. Instantly, Winnie twirled her hand over, and Cordelia held onto her cousin's hand like a lifeline, and the blonde squeezed back just as hard.</p><p>"The important guest... was it, You-Know-Who?" Cordelia said quietly, as Winnie sucked in a breath. It seemed like a war was raging inside her mind, just like it had looked when she handed her the mirror just days before Christmas. She knew that she was right when Winnie squeezed her hand tightly, sending a shiver down her spine.</p><p>"It was Voldermort," Cordelia's hand twitched in hers at the use of the full name. Winnie sucked in a deep breath, breathing out slowly before she turned her head upwards. Locking eyes with Cordelia before continuing to speak, "My parents wanted us to join the cause I think. Either way, he was there, and Cordelia it was ... it was the most frightening thing I ever had to sit through. He was going to do something awful, and I realized I could help you know. You lose someone already, and I couldn't let you lose someone else. I tried to help stop it, Cordelia, I promised I tried ... I would've died if it meant ...  I tried and I failed," Winnie broke off, her eyes trailing away from Cordelia's face and eyes.</p><p>Concern washed over her, and at the same time so did a sense of guilt. So she was being truthful the whole time-- she had truly done it for her? Endangered herself, for her? The familiar feeling of bile creeping up her throat made her cover her mouth quickly with her unoccupied hand, but she was able to swallow the feeling before it all came rushing out as it had at St. Mungos.</p><p>"Wait ... what do you mean? I don't understand," Cordelia spoke slowly, causing Winnie's eyes to open and to glance back at Cordelia. She watched silently, as the brunette's eyebrows frowned downwards, blue eyes narrowing in confusion with her lips pressed into a line.</p><p>"He didn't tell you?" Winnie whispered, her eyes wide. Cordelia could practically see the girl's heart thumping hard in her chest.</p><p>"Tell me what?" Cordelia questioned quickly, inching closer on the edge of her chair. Her hand squeezing hers tighter as her eyes widen like stars, "Winnie, tell me right now." She half ordered, her voice wavering as panic began to settle into her bones. Winnie's eyes shook as tears welled in them again, flitting across her face.</p><p>"Marcus, he ... he took the mark," she whispered, her demeanor crackling like fine glass as she watched Cordelia's reaction. Then it all made sense: how his arm glowed the faint green color when wearing something with thinner fabric, the way he itched it with no one looking, the way he seemed more translucent, less alive, and simply just a body with a heart. Her eyes flashed, head shaking, ready to deny it, and her lip trembled. "I tried to stop it, Cordelia, I swear. I tried to send him away, I would've d—"</p><p>"No," Cordelia spoke sharply, cutting her off as she shook her head. "No. You would've died, you could've died Winnie. And where would we be then? It would've solved noth—"</p><p>"But you don't understand!" Winnie cut her off, shaking her own head as she pleaded. "I had a port key of sorts," she paused, her free hand reaching up to pull something out from under her shirt. It was a chain, and at the end was a silver pendant that shone slightly in the light. "It was connected to Harry, he ... he could've gotten out and would've never gotten the mark."</p><p>"Yes, but you'd be dead!" Cordelia snapped, eyes wide with fire as she stared sharply at Winnie, her hand squeezing so tightly onto Winnie's that she wouldn't have been surprised if she had fractured the bones. "You would've died like Max, and you ... you're like a sister to me you bloody idiot! You can't die and leave me alone, you can't do that! If you died, it would've torn me apart," Cordelia finished, her words less sharp and more broken as tears fell down her face silently.</p><p>"You're right, I'm sorry," she whispered, squeezing her cousin's hand before letting her hold slacken. Holding on but barely there.</p><p>"Why didn't you tell me? About the letter and what Millicent said? And what do you mean 'connected you to Harry?" Cordelia questioned once she calmed down once again, Winnie's hand still in hers as the two sat facing each other.</p><p>"I wanted to but ... I knew you'd be worried, especially after I knew about Max. I didn't want you to be worried about me," she paused as a flick of rage drifted through her cousin's face. "I know that's wrong, I should've told you, I just thought I was doing the right thing. I had no intention of telling Harry, but Hermione found me after what Millie said and she ended up telling Harry. It's how they gave me this, Harry has the other part, when either one of us is in danger it'll bring us to the other. It worked, though I'm not sure why I wear it anymore, I doubt I'll need it again."</p><p>"Keep it on," Cordelia ordered, shoving the hand that held the necklace in it back towards Winnie. Her face was pale, a result of a flash of a scenario when the necklace could be needed, like the flash of a werewolf bite or the glowing light of a curse. "It's good to have, you never know what might happen," she whispered as Winnie nodded, sliding it over her head with one hand. They were quiet again, the air drifting around them with the weight of their secrets coming undone, slowly becoming clearer and more and lighter.</p><p>"Gilderoy Lockhart is my dad," Cordelia whispered after a moment of contemplating whether or not to say anything about it. She decided that she would, it was a secret that was, by far, way less harmful than anything else she had said over the last hour. Winnie simply blinked before she let out a laugh, slapping a free hand over her mouth.</p><p>"Good one, Lia," Winnie snorted, a smile on her face. She looked up as if hoping to see a smile on her face but was instead met with a sullen frown, as her lips pressed downwards and her eyes cast down towards their hands where they continued to lay intertwined."Oh! You're being serious. Merlin I— Sorry, I mean ... how did that happen?" She asked breathlessly, tilting her up as Cordelia snorted softly.</p><p>"Mum brought me to St.Mungo's Christmas morning and told me, didn't even hesitate. I thought she was mad, but no, he's my father," Cordelia broke off with a laugh then, her lips pulling into a smile as she started giggling. "Oh god! My father is Gilderoy Lockhart!" She announced loudly, looking up at Winnie with wide bright blue eyes, her lips tilting up to a grin as she laughed. Winnie blinked, staring at Cordelia as if she was having some sort of mental breakdown, before her own lips suddenly started to twist upwards, her own laughter beginning to fill the room.</p><p>"That's completely mental," Winnie laughed, her face breaking out into a wide smile that Cordelia could tell was one of the most genuine ones her cousin had had in days. Cordelia nodded in agreement, letting a sigh fall from her lips as she stared down at their hands. Her face fell, losing its smile and carefree expression, becoming gloomy as she remembered another reason why her mother had brought her to St. Mungos in the first place.</p><p>"My mum is sick," she admitted, her voice so close to a whisper, causing Winnie to suck in a breath, her eyes wide and her smile floating off her face. "It's pretty bad I think, she's in St.Mungo's at least," she chuckled bitterly, twisting her mouth into a sour expression as Winnie frowned. Before she unclamped their hands and surged forward on the edge of her chair, pulling Cordelia into a hug as she squeezed her eyes shut.</p><p>"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you," she whispered quietly, and Cordelia hugged her back tightly as her chin rested on her shoulder while Winnie's hand rubbed her back reassuringly.</p><p>"You didn't need to apologize, I wasn't there for you either," Cordelia whispered back, before the two pulled away, watching, sharing a small, pitiful smile on their faces. She sighed, pulling her hair back into a low ponytail to get it out of her face and to keep it safe from any more tears in case they fell down her face again.</p><p>"Do you think she'll get better?" Winnie questioned, tracing her finger against the smooth silk of the ribbon in her lap as Cordelia took in a shuddering breath.</p><p>"I'm not sure," she mumbled, and for the first time, she realized how much she didn't know. She usually had some sense of when things would be over-- but now, with her mother sick and possibly close to death without a timeline gave her a sense of dread that settled in the pit of her stomach. She wanted to give her mother one last hug, apologize for everything, for the fact that she hadn't been the best daughter.</p><p>"Well, no matter what happens I'll be here okay?" Winnie sighed, offering a smile as she looked up at Cordelia, reaching out to grasp the girl's hand this time. "I promise to always be honest with you, no more keeping things from you. You're like my favorite person, or whatever," the blonde rolled her eyes, making a smile form on Cordelia's lips.</p><p>"And you're mine too, I guess," Cordelia replied, grinning as the two girls shared a small laugh. Leaning back in their chairs as they sighed, her breathing becoming more steady. "There's been something I've been wondering about actually," she then paused as Winnie hummed quietly, keeping her eyes closed as she relaxed. "Why was Sirius Black behind you in the mirror? Isn't he like a mass murderer?" Winnie's eyes instantly shot open, her mouth falling open as she sat up straight, clearing her throat she stifled a laugh, looking sheepishly at her cousin who was staring at her with one eyebrow raised, the beginnings of a smirk making her lips twitch.</p><p>"Well see, funny story actually. You see, it wasn't actually him, it was Peter Pettigrew. And well, he's Harry's godfather and Harry went to his house or ... where he is hiding during Yule break. He kinda actually offered me to go and live with him now that I have no family or anything," Winnie laughed awkwardly, running a hand through her hair before she quickly added, "oh! And I'm pretty sure he and Re— Professor Lupin have a thing for each other." Cordelia sat, blinking several times as she opened her mouth before closing it once more, the information basically going in one ear and out the other.</p><p>"Well ... I guess that's good then?" Cordelia replied after a moment, her tone borderlining more of a question than a statement. "He's wrong though, Sirius," she added as Winnie raised an eyebrow at her in question. "You do have a family, I'm your family," she smiled, as Winnie rolled her eyes in reply.</p><p>"I know you git," she smiled, causing Cordelia to roll her own eyes before her eyebrows furrowed, the side of her cheek sinking in as she was chewing on it from inside of her mouth.</p><p>"Are you going to move in with him?" Cordelia questioned slowly, her gaze looking over Winnie's face. The blonde herself slumped forward, her hand twisting the ring on her finger as she shrugged, running her tongue across her chapped bottom lip. Cordelia hoped that she wouldn't, that she could come with her, stay in her home with her, but then realized it was probably for the best that she go with Sirius, even though, in the back of her mind, she still thought of him as a killer.</p><p>Winnie didn't deserve to be endangered, which would surely happen if she was anywhere remotely close to her or her family back home, especially Marcus, who was now legally a part of Voldemort's crew. The thought made her stomach churn, but it's what made her understand that it was in her cousin's best interest to stay with Sirius Black, no matter how much she didn't like it.</p><p>"I don't know, I mean, if my parents find out I'm with him... they'll kill him, Cordelia. And I can't do that to Harry, it's just not logical," Winnie shook her head, twisting her ring on her finger as Cordelia pursed her lips.</p><p>"And being homeless is?" Cordelia questioned, raising an eyebrow. Winnie opened her mouth to speak, before clearly realizing she was right.</p><p>"I just don't know what to do! I'm fifteen! Sure I'll be turning sixteen next month but I still shouldn't have to worry about someone being killed if I decide to live with them! I shouldn't be having nightmares of a fucking man that's literally supposed to be dead, but apparently, he can live forever, which is some real freaky arse shite," she burst out, heaving a heavy groan as she squeezed her eyes shut, making Cordelia chew her bottom lip again as she thought of a reply, not wanting to say the wrong thing in fear it would brush Winnie the wrong way. She knew it probably wouldn't, but it never hurt to be cautious, right?</p><p>"True, but, you should go. You should live with him, he offered. You need a place to stay Winnie, and will ... you can't go back home. I was wrong, you can't fix it, they'll hurt you. I suspect You- Voldemort..." She paused as Winnie glanced up at her, her hands over her face and eyes peeking through her fingers. "He'll probably want to punish you, for leaving. And I ... you'll be safer with Sirius, so take it. It's a home, Winnie," Cordelia smiled sadly, tilting her head as Winnie's lips pressed into a line, chewing the side of her lip before she nodded.</p><p>I'm your home, she had wanted to say. Stay with me, you'll be safe. But she couldn't lie to her again, she couldn't bring herself to do it. Winnie Bulstrode's safety mattered to her more than anything else in the world, and if she was safe, she was happy, and that was that.</p><p>"You're right," Winnie sighed, leaning back in her chair as she dragged her hands down over her face. "I'll accept his offer, only because you told me to though," she grinned, narrowing her eyes jokingly at her as Cordelia snorted.</p><p>"Stubborn witch," Cordelia muttered, causing Winnie to flick her on the shoulder as she stood, her hands falling to her hips as she faced the door. "Think they can keep us in here forever?" She then asked as she came to stand beside Winnie, both witches staring at her door.</p><p>"Probably, they might have forgotten," Winnie sniffed, walking over to grab her robe and tie, slinging it over her forearm as she walked back towards the door and beside Cordelia. "Think they're out there?" Winnie asked as she turned her head to the side to look at Cordelia who shrugged. It had likely been over an hour, and she knew Theo and Harry both had things to do. But, then again, it could've been a lie, as they had both lied to get them both there. She narrowed her eyes, the annoyance flickering in her face as she thought of what she would say to the boys when they finally let them out. Unless they could get out first.</p><p>"I guess we can just hang at the door and maybe they'll open it?" Cordelia questioned, running a hand through her brunette locks as Winnie shrugged in return.</p><p>"Worth a shot, I guess," Winnie stepped forward then, raising her hand to knock just as the door came barging open. It caused her to stumble backward and hit her back against a desk, she blinked, missing the sound of gasps and a half-shouted Theo Nott while she righted herself. Cordelia, on the other hand, gasped, pressing a hand to her chest as she jumped backward out of fright. Her eyes met Harry's, seeing the sheepish look painted across his face while she glared, and he gave her a light shrug of the shoulders. Theo stood proud, his shoulders straight with a wide smirk twisted on his features. His emerald eyes sparkled with amusement.</p><p>"You bloody idiot!" Winnie screamed, marching forward and sticking a finger in Theo's chest, before turning her gaze to Harry who visibly stiffened, making Cordelia bite her lip in order to refrain from laughing. She understood the tactic her cousin was using, and a smile formed on her face. "and you! What the bloody hell were you both thinking?"</p><p>"What if the room blew up? Huh? What if something happened to either one of us and nobody could help us because you two idiots locked us in a room without our wands?" Cordelia shrieked, picking up on the act Winnie was trying to playoff. A very angry and over-dramatic act.</p><p>"Well .. I," Harry started as he looked between the two girls, making Cordelia want to just burst out laughing. He looked so guilty, and she just wanted to hug him and tell him that it was fine, that everything was cool now. She was sure he would be grateful at that, and she imagined the embarrassed look on his face that made his cheeks flush slightly fade from his face.</p><p>"So, my perfect planned work then?" Theo said cockily, smirking as both cousins narrowed their eyes at him. Cordelia took a step closer to Harry, feeling his eyes still on her. She looked over to him and gave</p><p>him a knowing smile, and, as she predicted, the look of humiliation vanished on his face and he let out a sigh of relief as they watched each other.</p><p>"No, I hate her guts," Cordelia spoke suddenly, and Winnie stepped back, letting Cordelia hook her arm in her own.</p><p>"Yeah, I actually killed her. She's a ghost right now," Winnie replied, smirking as she glanced over at Harry who was staring at them before she started to pull her out of the classroom and in between the two boys. As they Cordelia found herself taking one glance back at Harry, and when she felt his eyes on her still, she felt her cheeks warm like she had just been in front of a fire. Merlin, out of all guys in the castle, she just had to be crushing on Harry Potter?</p><p>( Did she just admit to herself that she liked the raven-haired, bespectacled boy? Winnie would get a kick out of that if she ever found out. )</p><p>The two cousins continued walking down the hallway together, their arms linked and a new profound sense of peace and happiness trailing on their shoulders. The weight of their secrets finally vanishing away with every step until they were simply Winnie and Cordelia once again.</p><p>"So ... Theo huh?" Cordelia questioned in a sing-song tone, causing Winnie to snap her head towards her cousin, seeing her lips tilted into a smile. She watched Winnie Bulstrode blush, hearing her clear her throat as she shook her head in denial.</p><p>Then, a thought seemed to come to her mind, because she countered back, "So, Harry, huh?" Winnie smirked, and Cordelia's face flushed a brilliant pink as she thought briefly about their time watching the stars. The blonde laughed then, smiling widely before placing her head on her cousin's shoulder, and Cordelia tilted her head to meet hers.</p><p>She felt the first feeling of tranquility since Christmas Eve, and all she could think about as they continued off down the hall was that she loved Winnie Bulstrode very, very much, and she never wanted to lose her again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. what happened to marcus flint?</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She sat on the hardwood floor of her dormitory, eyes focused on the ground in front of her. The Bulstrode journal was lying open beside a jar of insects that were squirming inside. Cordelia never really liked insects, she thought they were quite replusing at times, but grasshoppers weren't the worst of them. She was just happy the only insects available in Professor Snape's classroom were not spiders-- she wouldn't have gone through with her practice otherwise.</p><p>Her finger traced the handwritten words on the page, making sure she read everything as accurately as possible. Something about the writing felt vaguely familiar, as if she had seen it before, but she couldn't quite put her finger on whose it was, making her eyebrows furrowed together as she tried to place it. Eventually, when she believed she had read the entire page thoroughly enough, she unscrewed the lid on the chair, letting a grasshopper fall out in front of her.</p><p>She took a quick glance of the page one last time:</p><p> </p><p>Faux Kill Curse</p><p>Incantation: tempus interficere (tem-pus in-ter-fih-cherie)</p><p>Wand movement: lightning shape</p><p>( will induce coma-like state for up to 24 hours unless subject awoken by caster )</p><p> </p><p>Sucking in a breath as she held the grasshopper down with her fingers, she raised her wand, pointing it down at the grasshopper. She bit her lip before she waved her want in the lighting shape motion while muttering "Tempus Interficere" under her breath. A small jet of green light shot out of her wand, hitting the grasshopper. To her dismay, nothing happened.</p><p>Of course.</p><p>One might be wondering why she's practicing this curse: it definitely seems as though she has something up her sleeve, but that simply isn't true. In reality, Cordelia Flint just wants to be prepared for anything, and if she knows the people she lives with (or the people her family is associated with), there's a chance she might be forced to kill. She hoped it would never come to that, in fact, she believed that it never would— no one she knew was that devious. But then again, her father did kill her brother, so anything was possible at this point. The spell inside the Bulstrode journal (which she still had yet to figure out who had written it) seemed like a good thing to have in her back pocket at any time.</p><p>She frowned as the grasshopper started to go on the move, her want still out in front of her. She bit her lip, staring down at the page once more in case she had missed something. She hadn't— she had done everything correctly, even to make sure that her intentions were right as per the small scribble in the margins. She ran her empty hand through her brown locks, took in a deep breath, and prepared to try again.</p><p>Cordelia had to try seven times before she even got a slim amount of progress. The grasshopper had stopped moving, just as it had tried to make a run for it. It collapsed, and when she was about to touch it in order to wake it up like the description, it got up again and was able to scurry out of sight before she could grab it.</p><p>She reached into the jar to reach for another insect, another grasshopper. As she set it gingerly down on the floor, the door suddenly banged open, making her jump. Instinctively she shoved the journal under her bed just beside her trunk, accidentally knocking over her jar of insects in the process. She cursed, scurrying to grab them all and put them back in the jar as Pansy Parkinson shrieked out of fright.</p><p>"Cordelia, get them away from me!" She shouted, jumping across the floor and over to her bed, raising her legs to her chest. Claire Tamashiro, on the other hand, scoffed at the girl, lowering herself to the floor to pick a few of the grasshoppers up before they could run away.</p><p>"Pansy, don't be silly, it's just a bug," Claire said as she deposited the insects back into the jar as Cordelia flushed out of embarrassment. What would they have said if they had seen her cast a curse remarkably similar to the Killing Curse? She knew it would not be good. "You're fine, they don't bite."</p><p>"Oh, they do! I once got bitten by a spider when I was a child and it made me sick for days," Pansy countered as she slowly lowered her feet to the ground.</p><p>"These are grasshoppers, you moron!" Claire rolled her eyes and sat down on her own bed just beside Cordelia's. "Anyways, Cordelia, you need to see this." She tossed the latest copy of The Daily Prophet at her, landing it in her lap. She glanced down at the page as Claire said, "You need to read the article. I don't know if you've heard yet, but--"</p><p>"Death Eaters have escaped from Azkaban?" Cordelia's mouth fell open as she stared at the headline. A particularly foul photograph of Bellatrix Lestrange, a woman she knew her father Carleton had connections with, was grinning evilly at her, making her stomach churn slightly. "Oh, my god."</p><p>She quickly scanned through the article, blocking out her friend's voices as she let the words sink in. Death Eaters have escaped Azkaban. How in the hell was it possible? She knew that Sirius Black had escaped, but how did he? Could he have perhaps helped them, as mentioned in the article?</p><p>Then she remembered that Sirius Black wasn't really a mass murderer like the press said, and it made her wonder even more how they could have escaped maximum security, not to mention the soul-sucking Dementors that were sure to have been lurking at every corner of the prison. Her heart beginning to race, she shut the paper and handed it back over to Claire as her mind began to go fuzzy.</p><p>Would how the Death Eaters were portrayed be how Marcus would soon be seen as? A murderer, someone who follows extremist values, someone who would kill just for their own benefit? Would he be seen as a monster, as someone who was incapable of love? She wished it wouldn't be like that, but after witnessing the way he had been acting the past few weeks ever since Winnie had mentioned he had taken the mark, she knew that it might eventually come to that. The brother that once cared for her so much could be taken away from her in an instant, just like that, turned into someone he was not. The thought of him turning into a killer suddenly made her feel nauseous, and before she could force it down, she was running to the bathroom and vomiting her breakfast into the trash can.</p><p>Curse her sensitive stomach.</p><p>Pansy and Claire followed her in, and as she was wiping her mouth with a towel Claire gave her a sympathetic look. "Are you alright?"</p><p>"Oh, yes, I'm fine," The lie rolled off her tongue so easily like they had all done lately. It was almost impossible for her to tell someone the truth these days-- what was she supposed to do, just walk up to someone and say 'Hey, I feel like I'm dying on the inside! How are you though?' because that was not her cup of tea. She'd rather keep everything down, even though she knew it wasn't a good habit to have, but she did it anyway. Besides, she had grown up that way, and she sure wasn't going to stop doing it now. There were some things in her life that needed changing immediately, but her mindset was not one of them. "I just... I need to go talk to my brother, will you excuse me?"</p><p>The Slytherin girls exchanged a look before stepping aside to let her through, and it was only once she was out of their presence when Cordelia felt like she could breathe easier, although her heart was still pounding in her ears and her already pale skin had gone white with worry. Letting out a breath, she walked out of the dormitory, giving a half-smile to anyone she passed as she found her way to the common room.</p><p>Luckily, Marcus was sitting down, nodding his head warily as Cassius Warrington spoke to him animatedly, waving his hand around in the air as if trying to reference the size of something. Marcus, seemingly very annoyed, dragged a hand over his face as Cassius continued to speak. Cordelia stalked over to them, tapping her brother on the shoulder upon her arrival.</p><p>"Can we talk?" She asked him, and he glanced up at her. His eyes seemed darker as if there was something inside of him that was making his soul a dark, empty hole-- the way he looked at her made her insides twist because there was most definitely something very wrong with her brother. "Please?"</p><p>"Excuse me," he muttered to Cassius, who nodded and simply leaned back in his chair, pulling a book out that was hidden in between his body and the couch. He flipped it open as Cordelia walked over to an empty corner of the room, and when she turned to face him as they stopped her eyes were narrowed, making him raise an eyebrow. "What is it?"</p><p>"Why didn't you tell me you got marked?" She said, not hesitating in the slightest. She watched as the muscle in his jaw tightened and his right hand flew to his left forearm, yanking the sleeve down to cover the slight bit of black ink that was a stark contrast to his pale skin.</p><p>"I don't know what you're talking about," he said, moving to turn away, but she grabbed his wrist and pulled him back. He tried to yank his arm away, but her hold was too strong for him to break free, and he struggled against it. "Let me go!"</p><p>"No, we need to talk about this," she started, still holding on tight to his wrist as she tried to pull back the sleeve. Unfortunately, she lost her grip and he pulled his arm back aggressively, letting his arm fall against his side. "Marcus, now."</p><p>"You don't get to tell me what to do, Cordelia," he snapped at her, rubbing his wrist where she had been gripping on so hard previously. "This is between myself and the Dark Lord—"</p><p>"Oh, so you're calling him the 'Dark Lord' now, Marcus?" she whisper-shouted, careful not to draw attention from the few other students in the common room. "What happened that night at Bulstrode Manor? Why didn't you tell me? I thought we always promised to tell each other everything, especially after Max died."</p><p>"Things have changed," Marcus said simply, voice void of any emotion as he stared down at her, adjusting the sleeve covering his mark. "I'm not required to tell you everything."</p><p>"I'm not asking you to tell me everything, I'm simply asking you to tell me the truth," she said, taking a step closer to him. He scowled down at her as she approached and reached for his arm. He seemed hesitant to let her touch him, but then eventually he let her take hold of his arm and she rolled up the sleeve gently.</p><p>The sight of the Dark Mark on the arm of someone she loved dearly made her glance away, pushing his arm back to him. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized the mark was like poison, infiltrating every vein in his body and ruining any good in him he had. She didn't know for sure if he had no more good morals— he's been avoiding her for too long for her to know anymore. But there was something about the way his face seemed empty of any life that made her sure of it.</p><p>"Please talk to me."</p><p>Marcus averted his gaze to the wall above her head as he spoke. "There's nothing to tell," he said coldly, and when he went to turn away, she grabbed his arm once more. This time he winced at her touching the mark under his sleeve, and she wanted to pull away, but she knew what to do.</p><p>Although she wasn't skilled with legilimency, she had to try, so she set her sights on hit, focused really hard with her eyes narrowed as they stared at his face.</p><p>Within seconds she saw flashes of what had happened that night at Bulstrode manor: him throwing his chair back as he flew to stand in front of Winnie, shouting at someone ahead of him; the way he was knocked back out of the way and onto the floor as Winnie disappeared in a whirl; she could almost feel his pain, and she watched with terrified eyes through her brother's lenses as Voldemort pressed his wand against his forearm, feeling his scream of pain reverberate throughout her body.</p><p>Cordelia let go of his arm with a gasp, her hands flying over her mouth as she stumbled backward. He did the same, tripping backward over his feet as he struggled to regain his balance. The loud footsteps of someone else in the room didn't phase the siblings as they stared at each other, her eyes wide with fear as she understood what her elder brother had gone through: he had sacrificed his own sanity and morals to save Winnie Bulstrode from a certain deadly fate.</p><p>"What happened to you?" She whispered, her vision becoming blurry with the tears that she was forcing down. She stepped closer to him, reaching her hand up to his cheek, and he leaned into her touch. For a moment his eyes flashed, and there was a split second where he became the person she had known forever, the brother she loved and the brother who could be considered her best friend. But then as quickly as it came, it was gone, removing her hand harshly away from his face pushing her away from the corner and into the storage room just behind them.</p><p>"Don't ever try that trick on me again, Cordelia," He shoved her up against the wall, pulling out his wand and forcing it in her face. She gasped, her heart suddenly beating so fast she feared it would beat straight out of her chest. "You don't get to see what's inside my head. You have no right—"</p><p>"Marcus, snap out of it, this isn't who you are," she pleaded with him as he stood, chest heaving as he continued to point his wand in her face. She couldn't breathe at the sight of him: he had truly succumbed to the Dark side.</p><p>Max would never have wanted his brother to go with his father's will, Cordelia knew that much. That's why he had tried to leave— but it's also the reason why he was killed. So in a way, she was happy he was still alive, but it hurt, even more, to know that she might be one day fighting against Marcus. It hurt her heart to think about it, and she shut her eyes tightly.</p><p>"I've accepted my fate," He said calmly, avoiding eye contact with her as her breaths became sporadic. "It's about time you accept yours, too." Then, without another word, or even a goodbye, he left, leaving her still pressed up against the wall as if it was the only thing keeping her stable. Cordelia watched him go, her heart pounding loudly in her chest as she watched the person she thought she knew disappear from her life, and it was then she knew that he would never be the same, no matter how hard she tried or how much she showed him she cared. She knew with a searing pain in her chest that she had now lost both of her brothers, forever.</p><p>And there was nothing more she could do.</p><p>She distracted herself from the terror that rampaged in her head by occupying herself with anything. And by anything, she meant literally anything. She had actually taken notes in History of Magic, a class where she would often simply daydream, and she tried to keep her spirits up by letting Claire vent about her new-found feelings for Adrian Pucey. It was an odd pairing, Cordelia thought, but as long as it kept Claire busy from prying into her life like she always did and kept her from thinking about Marcus or Max, it was the perfect interference.</p><p>Thankfully no one had noticed her tiff with her brother, allowing her to continue on with her day as if it had never happened. She knew that, eventually, she would need to face it again, but for now it was best that she let it go, and try to keep herself from falling down the rabbit hole once again. Unfortunately, her small lift of hope vanished immediately upon the sight of Professor Dolores Umbridge making her way down to the grounds, making it clear that today was the day she had intended to grace her presence upon the class.</p><p>Hagrid was explaining to her and the other students that they were going to be going to a small clearing a little way back into the Forbidden Forest, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Winnie had stumbled down to the Professor's cabin, pale and sick looking. Cordelia glanced at her, and when the blonde looked in her direction she raised an eyebrow as if to say, 'you okay?'</p><p>Winnie seemed like she was about to respond in some sort of manner as her lips parted open, but Professor Umbridge (who was, still, deemed 'Umbitch' by many) swooped down upon her, blocking her from view. Cordelia watched them for a moment before she then turned and followed Hagrid as he led them back into the Forbidden Forest.</p><p>It was when they reached the clearing when he proudly introduced them to a creature that he called Thestrals. She'd never heard of them before, but she hoped they would be as beautiful and majestic as Hagrid said they were. Winged horses that pulled the carriages that brought them to school upon their arrival every term. She tilted her head as she and Theo exchanged a glance from where he stood beside her, arms folded over his chest as he ultimately seemed uninterested. But, he suddenly stood straighter when, upon being asked, Hermione Granger answered that the only people who could see the creatures were those who had seen death.</p><p>Cordelia had seen death, alright. Way too much of it.</p><p>As the creatures began to filter out of the trees, she felt the intake of breath from beside her-- Theo. She knew then that he could see them, too.</p><p>What had he seen?</p><p>She knew his mother had died when he was a child, and his grandmother before that. But was it possible he had witnessed either or both of their deaths? It wouldn't surprise her if she was being honest, as he had also grown up in a family much like hers: conservative morals, Death Eater father, borderline abusive home. She didn't have much of the latter, but she knew he did as she remembered the way he flinched under his father's touch back at the train situation just a few months ago. It made her stomach clench just thinking about it. He didn't deserve any of that.</p><p>Cordelia reached out to touch his shoulder, and he simply glanced down at her, eyes shimmering with what she knew were tears. She gave him a reassuring smile, and he returned it, evidently surprised that she could see them, too. They proceeded forward, surrounded by the hushed voices of those that could not see the Thestrals. She saw Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter approach them from the corner of her eye, and she felt a sense of comfort wash over her as she knew she was not the only one in the class who had seen an atrocity like death.</p><p>She approached the Thestral, admiring how, even though it represented a grim part of her life, it was also quite beautiful, exotic-looking, majestic. Its mane was silky and as black as the night sky, its eyes milky white as it nuzzled her arm. She stroked its mane, and Theo reached his own hand out to touch it.</p><p>"You can see it?" He asked calmly as he threaded the hair in between his fingers, tilting his head to take a better look at the creature. Cordelia nodded, a small frown on her lips, but she forced it away and replaced it with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.</p><p>"Yeah," she replied. "Who passed away for you? Who did you see?"</p><p>Theo's eyes darkened, turning forest green. "My mother," he said simply, then his lips pressed together into a thin line. "I don't want to talk about it."</p><p>"Okay," she replied, watching his face for a moment before she looked away again. "I get it."</p><p>"How about you?" He questioned quietly, stroking the Thestral's fur and scanning her own face.</p><p>Cordelia hesitated a moment, wondering for a moment if it would be worth it to tell him. She had already told Winnie, against her own will of course, but she still told her, even though even admitting it to herself that she had seen her brother be murdered made her want to throw up all the same. She ultimately decided that she could confide in him, allowing herself for just a moment to be vulnerable-- he had just let his guard down, and she thought she owed him that at least. So, she sucked in a breath, the memory flashing in her mind once more before she spoke.</p><p>"My brother," she said, and Theo's eyes snapped to hers, mouth falling open. "I don't want to talk about it either. We can talk about it some other time, I promise." She smiled at him as his gaze flickered across her face, evidently not knowing what to say. Over his shoulder, she saw Millicent making her way towards them, and she took the opportunity to change the subject. "Millicent is coming, she might want to speak with you."</p><p>"Why would she want to talk to me?" He raised a curious eyebrow, but before she could clarify, the blonde tapped Theo on the shoulder. As he turned to look at her, he gave her an exasperated look as she reached for his hand and pulled him away, shooting her a mischievous smile over her shoulder as they walked. Her stomach twisted at the thought of the two being married one day, imagining how miserable her best friend would be in a relationship with her; she knew he would much rather be with Winnie, and she couldn't help but think that that would be a rather perfect pairing in her eyes.</p><p>At the thought of Winnie, her gaze drifted in the direction of the girl as the bell rang overhead, signaling their return to the castle. She sped up to reach her, trudging through the layer of snow on the ground. "Winnie!"</p><p>Winnie turned, and when she laid eyes on her lips twitched upwards in a small smile. She halted, waiting for the brunette whose cheeks and nose were tipped with red due to the cold to catch up with her. "Are you alright? You looked a little pale when you were late to class, did something happen?" Cordelia asked her as they fell into step. She watched as Winnie's eyes darted around them, making sure no one heard their conversation before speaking.</p><p>"It's fine, Lia, I just fainted and it caused me to be—"</p><p>"You fainted!" Cordelia shrieked rather loudly, causing everyone's eyes around them to dart to the two as they continued up the path. She heard Winnie's sharp intake of breath as she covered her mouth, feeling suddenly guilty.</p><p>"Shhhh," Winnie whispered harshly, narrowing her eyes at her cousin. Cordelia smiled sheepishly as she linked her arm through Winnie's and making them walk faster up the hill.</p><p>"You fainted? And you didn't go to the hospital wing? Honestly Winnie," she mumbled, shaking her head as the blonde huffed and rolled her eyes. Cordelia wanted to smack her cousin upside the head for how stubborn she was being, but then remembered that she had a tendency to do the same, so she thought better of it.</p><p>"Oh, don't be so dramatic, it's not a big deal," Winnie grumbled. The girls stepped inside the wide overhanging arch to the bridge that led to the front door of the castle, arms still linked as they walked. "So, some article in the Daily Prophet," Winnie spoke, changing the subject so quickly it made Cordelia roll her eyes.</p><p>"It was only a matter of time," she commented quietly, realizing that this was very true. Now that Lord Voldemort was on the rise again, and history was sure to repeat itself, she knew that there was nothing the evil, foul man would do to get his supporters back. He was pulling people together, forming armies that would go on to kill many. She felt Winnie's hand squeeze her arm, and she understood that Winnie was thinking the same thing as she was: it was only a matter of time before things would get much, much worse.</p><p>Cordelia found it ironic that one of the things she was looking forward to most during the term was the continuation of Dumbledore's Army meetings. She remembered the dreadful feeling in her stomach the day she was dragged by the hand into the Hog's Head pub on that winter's day. Now, the feeling of excitement was unmatched-- she hadn't felt this eager to do something in what felt like forever. However, her altercation with Marcus earlier that day made her mood sour, and so instead of approaching the Room of Requirement with a smile on her face, she rather had a slight scowl plastered on her lips.</p><p>She had arrived with Winnie as usual, taking a seat on the cushions as everyone else settled around beside them. With the loud snap of Hermione's book closing to their left, Cordelia's eyes drifted up to where Harry then stood in front of them, face shining with exhilaration as he held his wand in between his hands. He was clad in a light grey sweater vest and black socks, the classic outfit of a Professor, making her smile slightly at the sight of him, her feeling of uneasiness surrounding her brother's situation fading somewhat.</p><p>"Right, well ... welcome back everyone!" Harry announced, smiling rather prouder and more confidentially compared to his very first DA meeting. "I thought we'd do something rather fun today," Cordelia stifled a laugh, knowing that this was going to be a thrilling lesson, as she knew Harry had something more fun planned than his signature disarming spell and the classic stunning charm.</p><p>"We're going to start Patronuses," Harry spoke proudly, and Cordelia smiled up at him, earning a glance from the boy. He nodded at her, so lightly that she doubted anyone else could see, and she felt her grin widen as flashes from her third year when they had learned about Patronuses raced through her head. She'd been wanting to produce one ever since. She wondered what it would take the form of-- a fox? Perhaps a snake, paying homage to her house? Or, rather, maybe a cat, or a bird of some sort. She knew that it could take the form of anything at all, and that made her heart leap in joy. Whispers of amused voices ran around them, everyone their own spark of excitement to start the lesson. It wasn't long before Harry had them all standing, wands in their hands and outstretched.</p><p>"Producing a Patronus is incredibly difficult magic, it takes a lot of concentration and practice. You need to use a strong happy memory, enough to fill you with joy. Any happy memory should work as long as it is a powerful one," Harry instructed, standing in the middle of them as he lifted his wand before continuing to speak. "The incantation needs to be said with emotion in your voice. You're using this to protect yourself and perhaps someone you love from a dark force— "</p><p>"It's like how Expelliarmus works better when you're mad at the person," Hermione cut in from where she stood between Fred and Ginny, her wand held out determinedly, ready to cast at any moment.</p><p>"Exactly, don't be overly flourish with the wand movements, either. This spell needs to be exact, precise in order to work as protection. Like this," Harry paused, his eyes closing as he wrapped his fingers around his wand tighter. Everyone fell silent, the hushed whispers suddenly cutting off as they gripped their own wands tightly by their sides.</p><p>After a few seconds of clear concentration, Harry smiled softly and then spoke again: "Expecto Patronum," his voice boomed around the room, strong and full of power as a silver mist burst from the tip of his wand. Cordelia watched in awe as what appeared to be a large, silver stag prance around the room, casting white shadows over everyone's faces as they looked up to stare in wonder. It moved gingerly through the air as if floating before it suddenly came to a stop as it reached her. She stared at it as it lowered itself to eye level, and she watched as it came closer to her, dipping its head, antlers passing straight through her body leaving her to shiver as her cheeks began to warm. She glanced over to Harry, and their eyes met, green meeting blue for just a second before he seemed to remember where he was, waving his wand and causing the stag to vanish into thin air. She felt her face redden, feeling everyone's eyes as her as she ignored Winnie's smirk from beside her.</p><p>"Erm ... right well, let's get started," he cleared his throat, scratching the back of his head as everyone stood in silence. Cordelia avoided Winnie's gaze, staring fixated ahead at her as she started the lesson along with everyone else, patiently waiting for the blush to leave her face.</p><p>She raised her wand, taking in a deep breath and shutting her eyes, preparing to cast her first Patronus. She wondered again what it could be as she widened her stance, focusing hard on trying to conjure a happy memory, only vaguely aware that everyone else around her was shouting the charm, and the sight of small silver mists erupting around her.</p><p>The first memory that forced itself to the forefront of her mind was from when she was a child, playing with Max, Winnie, and Millicent, making snow angels in the snow that had just fallen just moments before. The pink and yellow flowers and the greenery always gave her a sense of comfort, and the way the trees held the soft flakes made her smile slightly. But then she remembered how Max had suddenly gotten to his feet and ran away, and then she was hit with the harsh reality that he was dead, and that the sisters were no longer on speaking terms.</p><p>Time for another memory, then, she guessed.</p><p>She pictured she and Zacharias together on the train in their second year, arms overflowing with sweets and pastries from the trolley cart as they talked excitedly about their summers; the Quidditch World Cup, when she went with the Nott family, where she and Theo had sat up late following the match talking around the fire... and then visions of the aftermath, where the massacre was just beginning, and her eyes flew open with a gasp, remembering the gruesome details of that night. And then, just like that, the silver mist that had been beginning to sprout at the tip of her wand was gone, and she huffed.</p><p>And then she saw Winnie's wand on the floor, the blonde nowhere to be seen, and she frowned, letting her wand arm drop to her side. As she stared down at her cousin's belongings, confused as to why the girl had just dropped everything and left, she felt someone's hand on her shoulder, and that's when she jumped, hand flying to her mouth as she spun to face Harry. His hand had lept from her shoulder so quickly when she had turned, as though scared himself at her own fright.</p><p>"Oh, my God, you scared me," She breathed, pressing a hand on her chest as Harry chuckled slightly.</p><p>"My bad, sorry about that," he said sheepishly, hand moving up to rub his shoulder. "I just wanted to see how you're doing with the spell. Mind showing me?"</p><p>"I, uh," Cordelia didn't know how to tell him that she couldn't think of a happy memory to conjure her Patronus, so she stuck with, "I'm having a bit of trouble if I'm being honest."</p><p>"Are you thinking of a happy enough memory?" He asked her, eyes flicking to her wand and back up to her face.</p><p>"Um," She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip nervously. "Maybe? I'm not sure."</p><p>"When I cast mine, I think about my first day," Harry said blissfully, twirling his wand in between his fingers as his eyes glazed over, reminiscing about his past. Cordelia's hand twitched, wishing every memory she believed to be happy wasn't tainted with her brother's blood. The wounds had been especially fresh on her own first day at Hogwarts. "It was one of the best days of my life, I can say that sincerely. Maybe, if you have any happy ones with your family--"</p><p>"No," She said, grimacing as she realized that she had spoken too quickly. His eyes snapped to hers, and his face fell slightly, but then he shook his head as she pushed her lips into a line and averted her gaze elsewhere.</p><p>"The Astronomy Tower wasn't too bad, was it?" Harry suggested, making her look at him. She smiled at this, cerulean eyes sparkling in the candlelight like the stars above their head that night as they stood under the moonlight. "Think of that." They stared at each other for a moment, searching his face for something, but she didn't know what-- his green eyes were captivating, always catching her attention from across the room with just a glance.</p><p>His eyes said ten thousand words, but no one ever took the time to truly read them.</p><p>Harry then seemed to regain his attention, inclining his head towards Winnie's forgotten belongings on the floor. "Where'd she go?"</p><p>Cordelia snapped out of her trance. "She just left. I had my eyes closed and... she just vanished."</p><p>Harry began to dig in his pockets for something, and as she waited for his responses she let her gaze travel across the room— wisps of silver haze surrounded everyone, some even taking a slight physical form: she noticed Luna Lovegood had produced a rabbit that was now hopping through the air beside Hermione Granger's otter. Then Harry cleared his throat, pulling out the piece of parchment he had used the night he walked her back to her common room near Christmas. He tapped it with his wand, unfolding it, and the words appeared on the paper.</p><p>"Here, come look," he told her, and she moved to stand next to him. His fingers traced the page as he looked for Winnie Bulstrode's name and, upon finding it, gave her a look of relief. Cordelia let out a breath, feeling better now that she knew where the girl was. "She's okay, don't worry. We can bring her stuff after this is over in a few minutes."</p><p>"Thanks, Potter," Cordelia gave him a smile which he returned, eyes again lingering on her face for just a moment before he turned away again and went to speak with the others, occasionally looking back in her direction— every time he did so, she felt the blush rise to her cheeks as it always did.</p><p>Soon enough, when the lesson was over, he found his way back to her, still clutching what he called the Marauder's Map in hand as she picked up Winnie's belongings, swinging her bag over her shoulder and slipping her wand into it.</p><p>"Shall we?" He said with a grin, holding out his arm for her. She stared at it for a moment, not knowing whether or not to loop her arm through or simply hold it, but she decided on the former, slipping her own arm through his as they exited the room together once everyone else had left.</p><p>"Where is she, exactly?" Cordelia asked him, clutching his arm as he stared down at the map, careful to make sure to take a route where they wouldn't be seen by any teachers.</p><p>"An alcove, just a few floors down," Harry told her, showing her the map. Another name was walking towards it as they walked down the first staircase— Theodore Nott. "Looks like Nott is getting to her first."</p><p>"Of course," she muttered, laughing to herself. She could always count on Theodore Nott to find Winnie in a pinch— it was as though he could sense her from far away. In a way, the two were like twin flames, and even though Winnie insisted fervently on the fact that she did not like Theodore Nott (even though Cordelia often found her staring at him at any point of the day), she knew that the two had something.</p><p>She burned for him, and he burned for her, and that was that.</p><p>They walked in a comfortable silence together through the castle halls, and she wondered for a moment what it would be like if she had someone who loved her as much as she knew Theo loved Winnie, to look at her the way he looked at her cousin, to hold her the way she knew Theo wanted to. She wanted that, and she believed that if she had it, she would be the happiest girl on planet earth.</p><p>But who would want someone as broken as she?</p><p>They turned the corner just as they approached the alcove where Winnie and Theo were, and she unlooped her arm from Harry's as they walked closer towards it, seeing the two lovebirds together. "Winnie? Theo?"</p><p>Winnie jumped slightly at the sound of her voice, standing up quickly to look at them. Theo turned, and his face cracked wide in a smile at the sight of his friend(s?).</p><p>"You left your wand and bag in the library, we went looking for you," Harry lied quickly, quickly realizing that Theo did not know anything about the DA. He nudged Cordelia who tore her eyes away from Winnie and Theo and back towards Harry, before she nodded, buying in on the lie as to not cause suspicion.</p><p>"Right, here," Cordelia added quickly, holding out both Winnie's wand and bag in both hands. Winnie nodded, pushing herself up to stand as she cleared her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, but froze when gasped, her eyes wide and looking at Winnie's neck, purple as if it was bruised. Winnie's hand flew to her neck as Harry sent her a worrying glance.</p><p>"Thanks," Winnie replied thickly, using her free hand to grab her things. Cordelia's mouth fell open because that bruise had most certainly not been there just an hour ago as they walked into the Room of Requirement together.</p><p>"Winnie, what happened?" Harry asked finally, his vibrant green eyes staring at the place on her neck where she kept her hand pressed against it. The blonde pressed her lips into a line, shifting on her feet as Cordelia crossed her arms over her chest, waiting for a response. She wanted to know the truth, not some lie that Winnie was sure to come up with. Hadn't they promised to each other not even a week ago that they would not keep any more secrets?</p><p>"Look, maybe it's best if we head to our common rooms. I'm sure Umbridge has Finch trailing the halls now, she can explain in the morning," Theo cut in, his voice stern as he stood beside Winnie, his arm brushing against her own as everyone turned to look at him. Cordelia watched the two, Theo glancing down at her with clouded green eyes as if they both knew something she didn't, making her own eyes narrow, but before she could speak, Winnie surged forward and pulled her into a hug.</p><p>"I'm okay, I'll explain tomorrow I promise," she whispered as she squeezed her shoulders tightly, before pulling away and stepping back, looking at her with pleading eyes, as though wanting her to understand. Cordelia understood that people needed their own time to cope with things— maybe that's as what was occurring here, and so she decided she wouldn't let it get under her skin, because Winnie would tell her eventually.</p><p>And if she didn't? Well, that's on her. But it would be okay nonetheless, because they had promised to always be there for each other, no matter what.</p><p>"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow," Cordelia spoke, her blue eyes sparkling with winds of concern, earning a slightly apologetic smile from her cousin. She waited patiently beside Harry, hand on his arm as Theo and Winnie said their goodbyes. Without another word from the lions, Theo stepped forward, placing a hand on her shoulder to signal that they should leave, head back to their common rooms.</p><p>She spared a glance at Harry as they turned away, and she found him looking at her once again, and she smiled at him. Then she fell into step with Theo and they walked in silence back to the common room.</p><p>"Will she be okay?" Cordelia asked him as they approached the door with the Snake.</p><p>"She will be," Theo replied, face full of concern for the girl he loved. "Let's just hope."</p><p>All she did was hope, hope for the best. Because Winnie Bulstrode was like a star, and she hoped that she wouldn't fade into the night sky as she had already done herself a long time ago.</p>
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<a name="section0023"><h2>23. this will be a piece of cake!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Valentine's Day had swooped down upon the students of Hogwarts before they knew it, and the atmosphere surrounding the holiday seemed to tweak the personas of nearly everyone. It was as though they had all been struck by Cupid's arrow, and love was in the air-- just not for Cordelia Flint.</p><p>The brunette had sat down in her usual spot in the Great Hall on the morning of February 14th, a day that also happened to be Winnie Bulstrode's sixteenth birthday (she needed to remember to pick up a present for her at Hogsmeade later that day), pouring herself a mug of hot cocoa as she waited for the rest of her friend group to arrive. Soon enough, Theo had slid in beside her, Claire across with Blaise Zabini at her side, and, to her horror, Millicent Bulstrode, who took the seat she had claimed for herself in the recent days next to Theo, who instinctively moved closer to Cordelia.</p><p>"Hello, cousin," Millicent said, lips quirking into a small smirk as she scooted ever-so-slightly closer to Theodore, who gave her a look that clearly said 'help me!'. She made a point to reach over Theo to take a breakfast roll off the plate, rather than be polite and ask someone to pass it to her-- it was as though she was trying to get his attention. And it was working: but not in the way she had expected as she now addressed the boy. "How are you this morning, Theodore?"</p><p>"Don't call me Theodore," He said casually, pouring a mug of tea for himself. "And I'm fine, thank you very much. Cor," He turned to his friend, ignoring the way Millicent quite clearly wanted to speak with him more. Cordelia let a smile creep onto her face as he spoke again. "You doing something today?"</p><p>"Oh, I don't know," She breathed out, looking up into the air as owls upon owls began to descend upon them. An owl she didn't recognize stopped in front of her, holding out it's leg so she could untie the letter from his leg. She exchanged a look with Theo as she untied it, stroking the owl's feathers for a moment before it took off again, leaving her alone with the letter. Unrolling it, she recognized the writing as that of Eleanor Lockhart's, and she glanced up to Theo. "Looks like I've got a letter."</p><p>"Lockhart?" He tilted his head to get a better look at the letter and the name scrawled at the bottom. "Since when do you write to a Lockhart? I thought our old Professor is in St Mungos?"</p><p>Shit, she hadn't told him, had she?</p><p>Cordelia bit her lips, eyes darting between the letter and her friend. "Uh, it's a long story," she told him, lifting the mug of hot cocoa to her lips as more owls came swooping down upon them. "We can talk about it later. Are you kidding me?" She added suddenly, seeing that the Bulstrode owl that carried Winnie's usual box of heart-shaped cookies had just landed in front of Millicent. Upon seeing that they landed in front of her, Millie grinned, pulling out the heart-shaped vanilla cookie, topped with pink icing. She took a bite out of it out of pure spite, knowing that, from the Gryffindor table, Winnie was watching them with a glower on her face.</p><p>She giggled slightly after swallowing, holding out the box of cookies to Theo, who reached his hand out to grab one, but Cordelia leaned in to whisper into his ear: "Those are supposed to be for Winnie, it's her birthday. Her parents are just rubbing it in her face." Then he drew his hand back, letting it drop into his lap as Millicent scowled at her: Cordelia responded with a smile and returned to her breakfast and letter.</p><p>"Don't you want a cookie, Theodore?" Millicent asked him as Cordelia flattened the letter out against the table beside her bagel. "My mum made them, they're delicious." She was vaguely aware of Theo refusing as she read the words written by Eleanor Lockhart.</p><p>Cordelia,</p><p>I'm not sure if you received my other letter, but I am aware that today is a Hogsmeade weekend for you, and I would love it if you were to join me for tea at Madam Puddifoot's this afternoon. I have a few things I would like to show you if you don't mind.<br/>If you cannot come I understand, but please consider it. I'd love to meet you.<br/>Sincerely,<br/>Eleanor Lockhart</p><p>Taking another sip of her hot cocoa, Cordelia pondered for a moment: would it be worth it to visit her aunt? If the woman was anything like Gilderoy Lockhart, she would be a narcissistic bitch. But then again, would Gilderoy Lockhart ever have reached out to her? She didn't think so. So perhaps she could be different, perhaps she could be a person she would be grateful to have in her life. At the same time, she didn't know if she would be able to handle it, and whatever Eleanor had to show her. She had the tendency to... you know, vomit, whenever she felt overwhelmed. She didn't want that to happen on her first meeting with the woman-- she didn't want to embarrass herself.</p><p>"Oh, would you look at the time," Claire spoke, and Cordelia remembered that she was there and she suddenly felt guilty that she had forgotten about the presence of her friend as she stood up and shouldered her bag. "We've got Quidditch practice, we've got the pitch early today, we were able to get before the Gryffindors."</p><p>"Maybe we'll catch you in Hogsmeade," Blaise told them, standing up as well.</p><p>"Have fun," Cordelia told them, and as she watched them leave the Great Hall, she turned to Theo, who had taken on a confused expression on his face as he too watched the two Snakes round the corner and exit the Hall.</p><p>"Since when have they been friends?" He asked, ignoring the way Millie tapped him on the shoulder.<br/>"I have no idea," The brunette replied, shrugging her shoulders as she took a bite of her bagel. "Okay, can I ask you a hypothetical?"</p><p>"Sure."</p><p>"So, hypothetically," she stressed the adjective, as though he hadn't already understood that she was giving a 'hypothetical' question. She knew he knew she was being quite serious, but she didn't feel like telling him straight up. So, she continued under the premise of a hypothetical, "Say you found out your father wasn't your father, but he's never been around in your life. And now his sister writes to you asking to meet her for tea and wanting to show you something, would you go?"</p><p>"Is this what's going on with Eleanor Lockhart, or whatever her name is?" Theo asked, raising an eyebrow while picking apart his blueberry muffin. "And does that mean what I think it means? Professor Lockhart is your fa--"</p><p>"Just answer the question," she cut in, taking another drink of her hot cocoa. Theo eyed her for a moment, and she felt as though someone was prodding into her mind as he stared at her. She knew what he was up to, and concentrated hard enough in order to kick him and his magic out of her head. "Don't use Legilimency on me, Theo Nott, we all know I'm an amazing Occlumens. Just answer the question, I want to see your point of view."</p><p>He glared at her, lifting his goblet of tea to his lips and then setting down as he thought of a response. Carefully, he opened his mouth to speak. "I'm... not sure," he said finally, not meeting her eyes as she fiercely stared him down. "I think I would. Just so I can meet her, you know, figure out some things about my family. Could be helpful."</p><p>She thought about this for a moment. He was right, she knew that deep down. It could be a good thing, but at the same time, did she really want to put herself into this situation? One where someone could quite possibly find out about her true parentage? The meeting had many pros and cons, and although it made her stomach twist with nerves just thinking about it she also knew that it could quite possibly be the best decision of her life. Who knew what it had in store for her? She wanted to know, and that feeling of needing to understand what was so important about this meeting made her decide to take the risk.</p><p>After all, taking risks is what made life fun.</p><p>"Thanks," Cordelia told him, setting down her mug and pushing it to the middle of the table.</p><p>"Yeah, no problem," He replied. "So, are you going to tell me about it or what?"</p><p>"Not with blondie around," She jutted her chin in the direction of Millie, who was now engrossed in conversation with Daphne Greengrass who was sitting across from her. "Can't afford to have someone overhear. Later, okay? I promise."</p><p>"Alright, okay," Theo said, popping a piece of his blueberry muffin into his mouth. "You said it's Winnie's birthday today, right?"</p><p>"Indeed I did," she confirmed, taking a bite of her bagel.</p><p>"Does she... does she want anything?" He asked timidly, brushing his hair out of his eyes.</p><p>"You mean, a gift?" Cordelia raised an eyebrow, her lips twitching in a smirk.</p><p>"Yeah, a gift," He admitted as she continued to eat. "What would she like?"</p><p>"She's not too much a gift person," Cordelia confessed, shifting in her seat slightly. "As long as you get her something meaningful, it counts. She'll adore whatever you get her. You know, you could make her a new batch of those cookies--" She again inclined her head in the direction of Millie with Winnie's cookies. "--she loves those. She's probably bummed they got sent to her brat of a sister. She'd appreciate that, I bet."</p><p>"I'm not much of a baker," he told her, biting his lip. "Also, I don't want it to be... weird, considering we haven't spoken since our kiss--"</p><p>Cordelia choked on her bite of bagel, and Theo hurried to thump her on the back. When she finally regained her composure, she hit him in the back of the head with her hand, making him yelp and earning them looks from those surrounding them. "You two kissed?" She whispered loudly, drawing a glare from Millicent as she stood up and left the table. She spun around to look at Winnie at where she sat at the Gryffindor table, and when she caught her eye, she glared, making Winnie frown in confusion.</p><p>"You kissed him?" She mouthed, pointing to Theo, and even from the distance away, she saw a blush creep onto Winnie's face as she nodded and looked away. Then she turned to Theo again, her mouth falling open. "When did this happen? Why did I not know about this sooner!"</p><p>"It's not that big of a deal--"</p><p>"It's not that big of a deal my arse!" She whisper-shouted again as students began to file out of the hall all around them. "You kissed my cousin!"</p><p>"We can talk about it later," Theo lowered his voice, holding up his palm to get her to shut up. She fell silent, but her eyes continued to dart between her cousin and her best friend. "For now, just eat, I'll go make the cookies, and--"</p><p>"This conversation is not over, Theo Nott," she assured him, taking the last bite of her bagel before pushing her plate into the middle of the table as well. She let out a huff as she followed the lead of the other students and began to stand up. "Well," she breathed, swinging her bag over her shoulder. "I will let you think about how you are going to present the cookies to my lovely cousin. I'm going to go prepare myself to meet... you know what, screw it. I'm going to go get ready to meet with my aunt who I didn't even know existed until a few weeks ago. I'll see you later?"</p><p>Theo's eyes were wide. "Um, yeah, of course," he said, and before he could say anymore, she was already turning on her heel and leaving the Great Hall, blending in with the sea of other students.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>When twelve o'clock rolled around, Cordelia was already dressed and ready to go to Hogsmeade, the sack of galleons in her pocket weighing her sweater down as she made her way up the stairs and out of the dungeons. She had been careful to make herself look presentable, not wanting to make a bad impression on Eleanor Lockart, and so her hair fell in soft curls around her shoulders, not a hair astray. Daphne had been so kind even to lend her her signature perfume, and now the aroma of vanilla and lavender wafted around her as she found herself at the exit of the building out onto the grounds leading into the village.</p><p>"Cordelia!"</p><p>The sound of someone calling her name made her turn, and she found Harry walking towards her, one hand in his pocket and the other behind his back with a Gryffindor scarf wrapped around his neck. "Hi, Harry," she said as he stopped by her side, offering him a smile which he returned. "Are you heading down to Hogsmeade?"</p><p>"Sure am," Harry replied, and he pulled his hand out from behind his back. In between his fingers, he held a red rose which he then held out to her, and she blinked at him for a minute, eyes lingering on the rose. "This is for you."</p><p>"You got me a rose?"</p><p>"Oh, er, yeah," He rubbed the back of his neck and smiled sheepishly at her, still holding the rose out to her as she still looked at it as if she couldn't believe her eyes (which, in fact, she couldn't). "If you don't want it, I'll just--"</p><p>"No! No, I'll take it," She cleared her throat, allowing Harry to sigh in relief as a blush crept up her face. She reached out to take the rose from his hands.</p><p>"Thank you, Harry," Raising it to her nose, the soft smell of the rose made her genuinely smile at the gift. "I love it."</p><p>Harry watched her affectionately for a moment before shaking his head and sucking in a deep breath as if he had been entranced by her for a split second. Pretending she hadn't noticed, she simply focused her attention on the rose once more as Harry spoke."Do you want to walk down with me?" He asked her, adjusting his scarf as it was restricting his airflow. She twirled the rose in between her fingers, nodding, and he gave her a grin as they set off down the path together, falling into step.</p><p>"So, how's your day?" Cordelia questioned, sniffing the rose again as the cold air greeted them. Harry let out a sigh, training his eyes on the still snow-covered ground as they continued down the path towards the village.</p><p>"Not bad," He admitted. "Not bad. You?"</p><p>"Not bad," she grinned up at him. "Now, may I ask why exactly you got me a rose?"</p><p>As Harry glanced down at her, she knew he still felt slightly tense around her, for reasons she didn't understand. But then his shoulders relaxed and so did his jaw, and she found him smiling, not a smile that was usually brought on my embarrassment like it usually had been. "It's Valentine's day, and I thought, why not?"</p><p>Cordelia laughed slightly, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Well, again, thank you. It's very nice."<br/>"You're welcome," Harry said, and then an awkward pause ensued on the both of them before he cleared his throat, changing the subject. "Hey, it's Winnie's birthday today, right?"</p><p>"Sure is," She responded as they stepped foot into the village, shops of all sorts surrounding them. She felt a tightness in her chest at the sight of Madam Puddifoot's, where she was sure Eleanor would be waiting for her, likely sipping on a cup of tea. She started to walk towards one of the shops, Harry walking close behind as she pushed the door open. "I'm going to get her a gift, do you mind?"</p><p>Harry simply shook his head and followed her inside as she made a bee-line for the cosmetics section. She knew exactly what she wanted to get for Winnie, and she slipped a double pair of compact mirrors off the shelf as Harry walked around the store, waiting for her to finish. She set the compacts down on the counter in front of the cashier, pulling out her small pouch of galleons from her pocket. "Just these, please."</p><p>"That'll be twelve galleons," The cashier said. "Do you need a bag?"</p><p>"No, thank you, but would you mind gift-wrapping them?" Cordelia asked him calmly as Harry came up beside her, a box of chocolates in his hands. The cashier gave her an odd look that clearly said: why do you want to gift wrap compact mirrors? Weird. "Oh, I'm sorry, can I see them for just a moment?"</p><p>The cashier slid the compacts back across the counter, and Cordelia pulled out her wand as he pulled out a small, purple gift box. She muttered the spell Winnie had used on the compact mirrors that she had tragically broken (she was angry, okay?) under her breath, and they shimmered slightly before becoming opaque once more. She gave them back to the cashier, who then waved his own wand to seal the compacts into the purple box, then handing it to her. "Is that all?"</p><p>"Yes, that's it." She handed over the galleons, and then stepped out of the way for Harry to make his payment for the chocolates, and then when he was finished, they set off back down High Street towards the Three Broomsticks. "What do you have planned?" She questioned Harry, taking the initiative to loop her arm through his. His cheeks were tinted pink from the cold (or was it the cold?) as they continued to walk down the street, clicking his tongue as he thought of a response.</p><p>"Hermione asked me to meet her at the Three Broomsticks," He answered, shrugging his shoulders. "I wasn't planning on coming, but... well, I'm glad I did," he smiled down at her, and she bit her lip as he continued. "I'm surprised Hermione isn't here with Fred, as they're, you know—"</p><p>"She's dating Fred Weasley?" Cordelia's mouth fell open, and she let out a giggle as they approached the door to the pub. "When did this happen?"</p><p>"Recently, I think," Harry said, pushing the door open for her and holding it open so she could go through first. What a gentleman, she thought. "Ron doesn't know, so don't say anything. She doesn't want him to know just yet, so."</p><p>She snorted, feeling the warm air of the pub surrounding her. "I don't talk to Weasley, he doesn't take too kindly to us Slytherins."</p><p>"Ah, right, forgot that," Harry grinned, standing up straighter. Hermione Granger was seated at a booth across the room and, upon seeing him, waved him over eagerly, and Cordelia did a double-take upon seeing Rita Skeeter sitting across from her, white-blonde hair curled into a bun at the top of her head. She narrowed her eyes at the sight of the woman, remembering an article she had written about the Flint family a few years ago: she didn't want to go into it, but just know that it didn't paint a pretty picture of the family. Luna Lovegood was also seated there, her signature glasses perched atop her head as she seemed to be in deep discussion with the reporter. "I'll see you later?" He said, placing a hand on the small of her back, making her heart skip a beat.</p><p>"Yeah, sure," Cordelia managed, and he smiled as he weaved his way around her and found his way to the table of girls. The spot where his hand had touched her felt like it was on fire, and she knew she was probably very red. If Theo or Winnie were to see her, then—</p><p>"Cor!"</p><p>Of bloody course.</p><p>Theo was sitting at a table nearby as well, sitting alone with a white bag at his feet. He called her over, and she glanced around before moving towards the boy, taking the seat across from him. He was cupping a goblet of butterbeer in his hands, and he took a quick sip before setting it down in front of him and sliding it across to her. She took it, taking a sip herself and then giving it back. "You're red."<br/>"I'm not," she said calmly, willing her eyes to stop glancing over to Harry whenever Theo moved his big head out of the way.</p><p>"You are," Theo smirked at her, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively as she rolled her eyes. "I saw you in here with Potter, you think I didn't notice?"</p><p>"Oh, shut it."</p><p>"And did he get you a rose?" Now Theo was grinning from ear to ear, snatching the rose from her fingertips and raising into the air to get a better look. She tried to take it back but he just moved it out of the way, smiling all the while. "Oh, it's a nice one. I think someone might fancy you, Cor!"</p><p>She rolled her eyes again and moved her head in the direction of the front door, and she could see Theo out of the corner of her eye trying to get a good look at Harry. Then, to her happiness, Winnie Bulstrode walked through the door, and she found her opportunity to escape this very, very awkward conversation. "Winnie!"</p><p>"Cordelia, hi," Winnie smiled, her fingers working to take the gloves off her hands. "Theo."</p><p>At the sound of his name, Theo choked on his butterbeer, making Cordelia snort as he whacked himself on the chest. "Winnie," he smiled weakly, and a chuckle left her lips.</p><p>"Why are you here?" Cordelia questioned, eyeing the two with a small grin on her face as she caught the attention of Winnie once again.</p><p>"Well, Hermione sorta demanded me to be here by two-thirty," Winnie shrugged, clicking her fingers against the wooden table as she looked back at Cordelia, wrinkling her nose slightly as the brunette nodded her head. "I was half tempted to hide away, but I don't fancy dying anytime soon." She joked, glancing back at Hermione who was leaning up in her seat, once she spotted Winnie she waved, smiling. The platinum blonde placed a smile on her face, waving back before looking back at Cordelia and letting her smile fall from her face. "Oh would you save me, I might just die." the girl frowned, and Cordelia rolled her eyes again glancing over at Theo who snorted as he took a sip from his butterbeer.</p><p>"Oh yes, Merlin, help us if you have to spend an hour socializing," Cordelia drawled, teasing the blonde slightly as Winnie's mouth fell open in a faux gasp.</p><p>"Oi! Do I need to remind you of your thirteenth birthday?" Winnie warned, her eyes flashing as a slow grin made its way across her pale features. Cordelia blinked, eyeing her closely before recognition flashed across her face— why would she mention her bloody thirteenth birthday?</p><p>"Wait, wait, what's the story behind Cordelia's thirteenth birthday?" Theo piped in, causing the cousin's attention to drift towards him. Cordelia breathed out a heavy sigh between her lips, ignoring the way Winnie's eyes flashed with amusement at the mention of that day.</p><p>"Go on then, tell him. You're gonna tell him anyway," she grumbled, rolling her eyes despite the fact her eyes tilted up into a small hint of amusement. Theo watched them with an air of excitement surrounding him as Winnie opened her mouth to tell the story.</p><p>"Right so, we used to have this ghoul in our Manor. He was always banging around and groaning, it was kinda annoying sometimes but anyway," she paused as her fingers fixed the black cotton of the headband on her head. "One year we had all of our family over for her birthday, and Miss Antisocial over here decided she wanted to eat the full bag of seventy sugar quills and not talk to anyone. So, she somehow - I still don't know how," her eyes drifted to Cordelia as she was speaking, the brunette simply shrugging her shoulders as she grinned at the memory. "But she somehow convinced the ghoul to take her place in her bedroom so Cordelia could store herself away in the attic and eat in peace. Well, we figured it out, obviously, and we found her eventually. At that point she ate herself sick to the pointing of vomiting and well..." Winnie trailed off, a smile twisting across her face as Cordelia rolled her eyes.</p><p>"In my defense, our crazy uncle was there and I was not about to listen to him ramble on about the next girl he decided to shag," the two cousins shared a look, both grimacing at the thought of their uncle, Elliot Buldstrode who they were sure was responsible for the distribution of many, many diseases around London. The man was a casanova, and not a good one, at that— almost every one of his children (their other cousins) had a different mother.</p><p>"Is that why you never eat Sugar Quills?" Theo inquired as he rested his elbows against the table, glancing over at Cordelia with, who raised an eyebrow. A small smirk filtered across his as Cordelia's eyes widened, a finger being pointed towards him.</p><p>"Yes, and don't you dare try and trick me into eating one," she warned as the male stuck his hands in the air, leaning back in his chair. Cordelia checked the clock hanging over the bar, and nearly had a heart attack when she noticed the time. "Blimey, I'm late, I've got to go," she said suddenly, and she took Theo's butterbeer and downed the rest of it. His mouth fell open and he said hey! as she tugged on her coat, the nerves started to creep up her body.</p><p>"Where are you going?" Winnie questioned, pushing herself up from her seat as Theo sat up, picking up the umbrella from where it rested against the side of the chair as she pulled her hair out from underneath her coat.</p><p>"She got a letter from Lockhart this morning, got a meeting with one now," Theo explained, shrugging as he wrapped his Slytherin scarf around his neck. Winnie simply blinked in surprise, making Cordelia sigh.</p><p>"I'll explain tonight okay? Meet me at the Room of Requirement," the girl breathed, collecting her things before quickly shoving the purple-wrapped gift towards Winnie. "Happy Birthday," Cordelia smiled, squeezing Winnie's wrist gently before bolting out of the Three Broomsticks, leaving the two lovebirds behind as she strode off across the street.</p><p>She could do this, she thought as she pushed open the door to the cafe. She could do this, nothing could go wrong. It's just her meeting her aunt that she didn't know existed until a few weeks ago. No biggie! </p><p>Cordelia let out a breath as she stepped inside, her heart beating rapidly in her chest as she spotted a woman who looked eerily like her old Professor (or, rather, her father: she wouldn't get used to this easily no matter how hard she tried), blonde hair falling loosely over her shoulders. She looked deeply engrossed in conversation with a boy she didn't recognize as she clutched a small box in between her hands.</p><p>Breathe in, breathe out.</p><p>Breathe in, breathe out.</p><p>Breathe in, breathe out.</p><p>This would be a piece of cake!</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. cordelia and the exploding record player</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This would not be a piece of cake.</p><p>Cordelia felt the familiar feeling of bile creeping up her throat, and she suppressed the urge to run to the bathroom to vomit up her stomach contents. She approached the woman and the boy, and when she placed her hands on the table, the woman looked up at her with eyes that she saw every day in the mirror. "Eleanor?" She asked, and as the woman nodded, her eyes began to water and she stood up, wrapping her in a hug. She stiffened, not understanding this show of affection so early on, and when Eleanor Lockhart let go, she stared at the older woman with confused eyes. She took a seat opposite Eleanor, beside the boy (who, it should be mentioned, was giving her the death stare), placing her rose from Harry gently inside her bag that she now had rested in her lap.</p><p>"I'm so glad you decided to meet with us, Cordelia, your mother has wanted us to meet for so long but she was never able to do it without doing it under Carleton's nose," At the mention of her father, Cordelia shifted nervously in her seat as she bit her cheek.</p><p>"It's nice to meet you," she said awkwardly, and the boy rolled his eyes and glanced away when she tried to smile at him. Not even thirty seconds in and whoever this is already has something against her? She wouldn't put it past him, though. If anyone knew anything about her family they would one hundred percent have something bad to say about her and the people she loved.</p><p>"My apologies, this is my son, Jeremy," Eleanor said, placing a hand affectionately on the boy's shoulder. Jeremy simply nodded at Cordelia, not breaking his facade in which he clearly did not take kindly to her, making her frown slightly. "Say hello, Jer, don't be rude."</p><p>"Hello," he said rather harshly, making Cordelia narrow her eyes at him. If he didn't like her, then she didn't like him. End of story.</p><p>She witnessed Eleanor shoot her son an annoyed look before she returned back to her loving self, leaning forward on the table as Cordelia again shifted her weight, feeling more and more out of place by the second. "I'm sorry to hear about your mother, she's a great woman. I'm hoping she has a quick recovery."</p><p>"Thank you."</p><p>"And, your father, my brother—"</p><p>"I would appreciate it if we don't call him my father, Eleanor," Cordelia spoke before she could help herself. "I barely know him, he barely knows me. And if he's known that he was my father, why did he never say anything to me when he was my Professor?"</p><p>Eleanor let out a breath, her eyes watering once again. Jeremy simply leaned back in his chair, looking anywhere but at his mother or her. The more she looked at him, the more she noticed how young he was— maybe Marcus's age, at the least. If he was seventeen, why wasn't he at Hogwarts?</p><p>"Your mother never told him, Cordelia. Before she could he was already in Transylvania working on his vampire novel, and then he was all over the world. Bulgaria, Norway, South Africa, everywhere," Eleanor said, and Cordelia looked at her with curious eyes. "He was completely taken over by his career, which didn't end well, might I add. He wasn't himself for the last years before his accident, the fame took him over. Emilia didn't want that kind of man in your life."</p><p>"I think she would've liked that more than letting me be around a murderer," she muttered under her breath, crossing her arms over her chest and averting eye contact. "I'm assuming you've stayed in contact with my mother, have you?"</p><p>"I have."</p><p>"Then I'm sure you know the truth about my brother's death," Cordelia spoke bitterly, her voice low so as not to attract attention. She raised her head to look at the woman, who eventually nodded her head, admitting that she, indeed, knew about Max's death. "There must be another reason because my father is not a good man. I've seen the things he's done to people who don't listen, you know— I've been the object of his anger before. Believe me, knowing my father was a narcissistic asshole would be one hundred percent better than living under the same roof as someone who murders people for fun."</p><p>"It was never my decision, in fact, I lobbied for her to tell him," Eleanor spoke, sighing heavily as Jeremy seemed to become more interested. "He would've been a great father. Before he got his job he was a great figure to Jeremy and to my nieces and nephews. It hurts me to know that you had to suffer through so much when you could have been with my brother."</p><p>"Life isn't fair," Cordelia spit out, earning an apologetic look from Eleanor. She suddenly felt bad, coming to the realization that her aunt was only trying to help, and so she put on her best fake smile. "I'm sorry, I guess I have a lot of pent-up anger. Please, go on."</p><p>"Don't worry about it, I was expecting it," Eleanor replied, making Cordelia raise an eyebrow. "I understand that this is heavy news. You have every right to be upset." Cordelia stayed silent and chewed her lip, not knowing what to say as Eleanor's eyes, identical to her own, flickered across her face, evidentially thinking about what to say next. Jeremy breathed out heavily, earning him a look from the brunette.</p><p>"Can I go?" He asked his mother, a bored look on his face.</p><p>Eleanor pursed her lips. "No, I brought you here for a reason, Jer. Sit."</p><p>"I don't have any reason to be here, this is your business, not mine," Jeremy snapped, folding his arms across his chest. "I don't understand why I need to be here. I'm supposed to be taking this next shift, you know that, right?"</p><p>"I called you out," Eleanor said smoothly. "This is important for us. Cordelia needs to know that she has family that supports her—"</p><p>"No offense, but I just found out she existed two minutes ago. So forgive me if I'm not too excited about this," Jeremy said harshly, running a hand through his brown locks. "How do you think it makes me feel when you bring in someone else under your wing when I'm right here, struggling because I can't do fucking magic?"</p><p>Jeremy was a squib?</p><p>"Language, Jeremy," Eleanor lowered her voice to a dangerous level, but that didn't seem to phase Jeremy.</p><p>"I get that she's Uncle Roy's daughter, I do, but I don't have to associate myself with someone who might turn on you in a split second."</p><p>"Why would I turn on her? I just met her, I'm in the same situation you are, if not worse," Cordelia snapped back, blood boiling.</p><p>He ignored her. "Haven't you read the news about her family? We all know what they are capable of, Mum, and I'm trying to protect myself."</p><p>"You think I don't know what my family is capable of, Jeremy?" Cordelia asked him, her eyes forming into slits that stared him down. She was trying to contain her anger, and if he said one more bloody word... "I don't support anything my family has done, not in the slightest. But you aren't going to badmouth them either, do you understand? I love them nonetheless, maybe not my father, but everyone else I do. I came here to have a civilized conversation, to be shown something by your mother, not to be ridiculed by you about things that I have no control over."</p><p>"I'm eighteen and a squib," Jeremy said slowly, now addressing her. "I'm trying to keep myself safe, and the only way I can do that is to not associate with people like you. I can't defend myself with magic like you can. I can't do any of that. So forgive me if I'm not too happy with my mother bringing in someone who can bring those I love into danger. I'm not going to let that happen."</p><p>Could she really be considered dangerous, just because of her family?</p><p>"I'm not going to hurt any of you, and I can guarantee that my family won't, either," she told him genuinely, taking in a breath. "They have other things on their minds. You can trust me on that."</p><p>"I'm not taking that chance," Jeremy said, and now he moved to stand. Eleanor stared at the two, not bothering to stop her son from leaving the table. Without another word, he departed into the back of the tea shop, slamming the back door shut, earning glances from the customers around the room. Cordelia watched him leave with anger in her chest.</p><p>"That was not okay of him, I'm so sorry," Eleanor reached out to hold her hand, but Cordelia quickly placed her hands in her lap. "He means well."</p><p>"No, he doesn't," Cordelia said angrily, eyeing the door in which her cousin (if he could be considered that) had just disappeared through. She moved to stand. "I'm sorry, I think I need to leave. Thank you."</p><p>"No, wait, we're not finished," The blonde spoke quickly, and Cordelia stopped mid-motion. "I... your mother wanted me to give this to you. It was hers, Gilderoy gave it to her when they graduated. She thought you might want it."</p><p>She opened the box gingerly, and inside glittered a silver bracelet decorated with diamonds, and her eyes widened slightly upon seeing it. She let out a breath and sat back down in the chair and pulled the box towards her, taking in the sight of the bracelet with eyes that began to shimmer with tears. "You said it was my Mum's?"</p><p>"It was."</p><p>"Why did you have it?"</p><p>Eleanor bit her lip. "Emilia had known she was sick for a while, Cordelia. She asked me to do a few things for her if something ever happened to her— and now that time has come, as she is... she's in a coma. We've been in contact for years."</p><p>Her heart sank at the word 'coma', and she wanted to cry on the spot as she continued to look at the bracelet. "Thank you," she managed, allowing herself to breathe in order to blink the onset of tears away. She let out a shuddering breath as she slipped the bracelet on her left wrist, admiring it on her as Eleanor smiled warmly. "I appreciate it."</p><p>"Of course," she replied softly, reaching out again to grasp her hand, and this time Cordelia allowed it. There was something about the way Eleanor Lockhart held her hand that made her feel loved again like her mother was still there with her. The corner of her lips itched upward. "If you ever need anything, I'll be here. I own this place, if you didn't know. Please, feel free to stop by anytime."</p><p>"You're Madam Puddifoot?" Cordelia asked, raising an eyebrow. "Your surname is Lockhart, isn't it?"</p><p>"Oh," Eleanor giggled lightly, pulling her hand pack from her own. "No, my husband's grandmother was the original Madam Puddifoot."</p><p>"Oh," Cordelia said, surprised. "That's very cool. I'll make sure to come back. Thank you again."</p><p>"Oh, I have one more thing," Eleanor said quickly, standing up and reaching in her pocket to pull out a stack of what seemed to be photographs. "I wanted to give you these as well, from my own personal collection."</p><p>Cordelia smiled weakly and took the photographs into her hands, and she found herself looking into the faces of the younger versions of her mother and Gilderoy Lockhart standing happily, hand in hand, the sights of them moving around in the photographs making her fall into a trance.</p><p>"Words can't describe how much they loved each other, and how much Emilia loves you," Eleanor's voice swirled around her, bringing her out of her haze. "I hope you know that now. And again, I'm very sorry about the way my son spoke to you."</p><p>Cordelia got to her feet, swinging her bag over her shoulder, holding the rose and the photographs in her left hand and adjusting her coat. She gave the woman the warmest smile she could muster, and the look she gave the blonde said the most genuine thank you before exiting the cafe and making her way back towards the castle, the photo of her young parents swimming in her mind the entire way up the path.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>▬▬▬▬</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Cordelia had arrived early to the Room of Requirement, for her's and Winnie's annual birthday sleepover, feeling more ready than ever to have the most relaxing night. She needed it, she truly did, and she knew Winnie did, too. It would be fun to do absolutely nothing for an entire night, not have to deal with anyone but themselves.</p><p>She had managed to procure a bottle of Firewhiskey from Blaise Zabini, who made her promise to pay him five galleons or what he called 'a night in heaven' for the bottle, and so she quickly had placed the five galleons into the palm of his hand and sped off quickly out of the dungeons and up towards the Room of Requirement.</p><p>In past years, before they knew about the R.O.R as they called it, the two cousins had somehow been able to find other places to hold their celebration. One year, when they were thirteen, they had spent their whole night in the kitchens and then Winnie had managed to sneak Cordelia into the Gryffindor common room, where they fell asleep to the fire at four in the morning. Unfortunately, Cordelia had a rude awakening upon waking up to the face of Professor McGonagall, who promptly escorted her out of the room and made her walk back to the dungeons alone. Needless to say, they never did that again.</p><p>She had just laid out the sleeping bags inside the room that were provided, just after placing the blue birthday hat on top of her head and waving her wand above it to keep it from moving when she heard the angry voice of Winnie Bulstrode surround her along with the loud bang of the door being opened.</p><p>"Friends! Friends! Do I look like a friend to you?" Winnie yelped, laying down the box of cookies on the table near the door. Cordelia watched her eye the number of sweets and various flavors of crisps, ignoring them completely (which was, as a matter of fact, very unlike her!)."That's completely barbaric! Friend, ugh as if! He thinks he can just... and then just, ugh!" The girl screamed in frustration, gritting her teeth together as she tugged off her scarf roughly, laying it down on a table and shrugging off her coat in the process. "Oh I'll show him a friend, I'll be the best bloody friend he ever had! Bloody fucking idiot, oh I swear - oh! Give me that," she paused, just now noticing the bottle of Firewhiskey sitting on the same table she laid the box of cookies on. She reached forward, grasping the bottle of dark, auburn liquid. Cordelia stared at her with an amused look on her face, biting on a streamer that made noise when you blew into it, as Winnie took a large swig of the alcohol and then made a face as it went down her throat. "I'll never get used to that. Merlin, what are you wearing?"</p><p>Cordelia brushed her soft curls out of her face and frowned slightly at her cousin from her spot near the sleeping bags. "Well I do have a matching hat for you, but I feel like we need to unpack whatever that was first," she grimaced, walking closer to Winnie while holding out a matching purple birthday hat. Winnie's lips twitched into a smile as she took it, replacing her black headband with the hat. Cordelia noticed Winnie twitch slightly with the white strap digging into her skin, feeling glad she had used a cushioning charm on the hat herself as they hugged one another.</p><p>"Thank you for this," Winnie hummed, letting go of her cousins shoulders before walking over towards the lump of pillows and blankets. Cordelia strode over beside her, kicking off her white sneakers and settling in beside her, after which Winnie threw the blankets over their legs as she frowned slightly. "Do you think I overreact?" She questioned after a moment, leaning her back against the bottom of the couch as she stretched her legs out under the blanket. She turned her head up to look at Cordelia, who bit her lip and grimaced. Long story short, yes, Winnie did have a slight tendency to overreact.</p><p>"Well, I mean..." Cordelia trailed off as the blonde rolled her eyes, crossing her arms across her chest with a huff. They were quiet for a few moments, the sound of her taking large drinks from the bottle of Firewhiskey surrounding them as Winnie stared off into the distance, her mind clearly occupied. As the brunette's mind had started to drift off to Harry and the rose that was lying on her bed back in the dormitory, Winnie let out a loud groan and snatched the bottle out of her hand.</p><p>"I think you can be overdramatic," Cordelia started as Winnie took a long gulp from the bottle, her eyes squeezing shut as she swallowed the bitter liquid. She thought about her next choice of words, making sure to choose them carefully. "But, that doesn't mean your feelings have to be belittled. So what happened?"</p><p>Winnie breathed heavily through her nose, laying the bottle down on the blanket, Cordelia's hand coming out to make sure it didn't fall as Winnie threw the blanket off her legs, walking swiftly over towards the table that was lined with food. Cordelia stayed out, watching as Winnie gathered the box of cookies on the table and brought them back over.</p><p>"It's complete rubbish, that's what it is," she rambled again, striding back over to where Cordelia sat. "He said we were friends! Cordelia, friends! Which I suppose we are but like, I don't know I'm just accepting Harry, Hermione, Ron, and all of them as my friends, and now him? Him? After years of 'oh I'm in love with you' or, or," she paused walking back over towards the makeshift sleeping situation with the box of cookies, a bag of chocolate frogs, and crisps in her arms. "my future wife! After years of that, friends! Friends after he, after we ..." she trailed off again, taking a bite from the least burned heart-shaped cookie.</p><p>Cordelia let out a snort of laughter as Winnie spluttered, making a face as the cookie evidently didn't taste any good. She assumed those were the cookies Theo had made (as per her suggestion, obviously) and she clapped her hand over her mouth to suppress more giggles.</p><p>"I know you kissed Theo," Cordelia admitted as she reached over to pick up a cookie for herself, wanting to see what the big deal was. Immediately upon taking a bite, she gagged, reaching for the box and spitting the contents of her chewed piece into the box. Winnie dropped her own cookie into the box, smacking her hand onto her chest as she once again heaved, eyes stinging furiously. "That's bloody awful, what in Salazar did he do? Mix salt with sugar?" Cordelia spat, reaching forward for the bottle of Firewhiskey and taking a chug of that, only for her to begin coughing and covering her mouth with her hand. "That made it worse! That made it worse!" She cried, squeezing her eyes shut as Winnie trickled off into laughter. Her back leaning against the couch with her hands wiping at her face that still spread tears over her face. After a moment, Cordelia started laughing too, causing them both to gasp for breath in between fits of laughter.</p><p>"Well I know one thing he shouldn't be after school," Winnie breathed, wiping her face a second time as she reached over and closed the cover of the box before laying it on the floor next to her. Cordelia sat back down, watching as Winnie ran a finger along the edge of the box as her smile suddenly turned into a rather down-looking frown."It was a rather nice gift I guess," she mumbled, frowning as she sighed heavily, balling her hands into a fist and chugging back another gulp of Firewhiskey, wiping at her mouth before looking over at Cordelia, who pursed her lips. "So you know, for the record, I was going to tell you but I figured I should probably talk to him before telling you." She mumbled.</p><p>"Oh come on, cheer up. It's your birthday, boys aren't the end of the world," Cordelia frowned, standing up and taking hold of Winnie's arm, tugging her up as the blonde quickly covered the top of the Firewhiskey.</p><p>"What are you doing?" Winnie questioned quickly as the brunette led her out to the middle of the room, where she watched as Cordelia closed her eyes, her hand still holding onto her wrist. A moment later, a wide, tall object appeared to their left. It was composed of a small black record on top of it, a stick reached out, hovering over the record. Winnie glanced over at Cordelia, who smiled as she walked towards it.</p><p>"So I asked for something to play music, because you," Cordelia paused, pointing a finger at the girl as Winnie stuck out her tongue. "Need some cheering up, I love my best friend, but he's a real wanker, and well so are you but, it's your birthday so I'll allow it." She grinned, earning a faux gasp from Winnie who reached over and lightly swotted Cordelia on her shoulder. The brunette picked up the tiny stick, laying it down on the record, causing the familiar beat of a Weird Sisters song.</p><p>"You're so lame," Winnie commented, rolling her eyes as Cordelia tugged her out into the middle of the room again.</p><p>"And you're boring," Cordelia fired back, despite the smile that filtered across her face. Cordelia spun around in the room, content with the music that she and Winnie had always danced to since they were children, feeling happier than she did in days. But then, suddenly, she let out a yelp as she came in contact with a pillow with the courtesy of Winnie, who backed away slowly with a smirk on her face. "Oh it's on," Cordelia grinned, running for her own pillow as Winnie screamed, running away from her cousin who came at her with the pillow.</p><p>After a few minutes, Winnie stumbled over her feet, causing her to slow down and give Cordelia enough time to hit her squarely in the back of the head with her pillow. The blonde curled in on herself slightly, before she willed around and swotted her pillow towards Cordelia's middle. The brunette, however, was too fast for she swirled her body to the side leaving Winnie swishing at nothing but air. After that, the two girls drifted into a game of chasing each other around the room, hitting each other with pillows and laughing as if they were little kids again. Music swirled around their ears, bursting from the record near the middle of the room.</p><p>After several rounds of running around the room as quickly as they could, jumping and hitting each other with their pillows, the two girls fell back down against their sleeping bags. Cordelia shut her eyes, breathing heavily through her nose to ease the cramp in her middle. Just as she opened her eyes once more, a loud popping noise with white sparks filtered to the room, causing both girls to jump up, grasping their wands in their hands and aiming it towards the middle of the room where the burning record player now sat. The magic in the school frying the electricity playing through the music. Giggling, Winnie waved her wand, making the record disappear, sparks and all vanishing in thin air.</p><p>Cordelia stood up to grab the box of Exploding Snap from the table full of food before coming to sit beside Winnie once more, the blonde lying back against her pillow. "Thank you," Winnie spoke softly, setting up her cards for the game as she wrapped a blanket over her shoulders, holding it close to her body as Cordelia glanced up at her, raising an eyebrow. "For making me feel better you weirdo," the girl grinned, looking up at her cousin who rolled her cerulean eyes, grinning as she shifted, sitting cross-legged across from her.</p><p>The two girls drifted into a series of playing random games and stuffing their faces with the junk food Cordelia had brought into the room. Until they both laid in under each of their sleeping bags, the room glowing in darkness all beside the small blue flame of light Winnie had conjured to hover about their heads. They had changed their robes into sleeping wear during some point between the second game and after eating far too crisps, allowing the girls to fall back against the makeshift bed and simply stare at the flickering lights above them.</p><p>"Hey, Lia?" Winnie whispered through the darkness, after a moment the sound of Cordelia shifting in her sleeping bag sounded around them. She turned to face her, her hands reaching up to alter her pillow before finally relaxing and looking at Winnie. "What happened with Lockhart?"</p><p>"Well, I had to meet with his sister, Eleanor," She spoke, fiddling with the zipper of her sleeping bag as she looked at Winnie. "It was a mess in the beginning. Apparently, I have a cousin, her son, who hates my guts."</p><p>"You have another cousin?" Winnie questioned quietly, flipping her pillow over to the cold side.</p><p>"I wouldn't consider him that," Cordelia muttered, remembering the sight of Jeremy Lockhart (or Puddifoot?) scowling at her and condemning her for being a part of the Flint family. "He kept going on about how dangerous it would be to associate with me and my family, that because he's a squib it's all he can do to protect himself. And then he just... left."</p><p>"He's a squib?" Winnie's mouth fell open in shock, as the term 'squib' was often not spoken in the world of pure-blooded wizards, especially in their family. "But... your family isn't dangerous. I mean, yeah, Uncle Carleton is a Death Eater, and Marcus is too—"</p><p>"Okay, I get it," Cordelia interrupted, and Winnie fell silent with an apologetic smile. "But there's been all sorts of knees about my dad and the family throughout the years, and that's what he's focusing on. It hurt, but I don't know him, and he doesn't know me, so there's no point in worrying."</p><p>"He sounds like an arse," Winnie grimaced, shifting in her sleeping bag. "I don't like him."</p><p>"You wouldn't. It's funny, though, because you know he's related to Madam Puddifoot?" Cordelia let out a laugh, and Winnie snorted in surprise.</p><p>"Are you serious?" Winnie fell into giggles, making Cordelia laugh even more at the sound of it. "Well, that's ironic."</p><p>"Tell me about it," she said, and then she let out a sigh. "After that, Eleanor apologized. She gave me this diamond bracelet that my father— Lockhart, that is— gave to my mum when they graduated, and it's beautiful. And then she gave me some pictures of them when they were young, and that was perfectly fine. It made up for Jeremy being rude, you know?"</p><p>"Did you bring the photos?" Winnie asked, propping herself up on her elbow as she watched her cousin with curious eyes.</p><p>"No, they're back in my dorm," She answered, frowning slightly. "I'll show them to you eventually. It's odd, though, because now I'm realizing how much I could have avoided if my mum had allowed Lockhart to be in my life. Eleanor said he didn't know."</p><p>"That's sad," Winnie replied, a sad smile bracing her lips. "He seems like a perfectly nice man. Aside from, you know, stealing people's accomplishments and being a narcissistic arse, obviously."</p><p>Cordelia snorted in response. "Yeah, yeah. Well, I can't dwell on it," She said, her voice slightly sad. "It's not the end of the world. I can't change the past."</p><p>"Well, at least you have me to rely on," Winnie smiled at her, reaching out to hold Cordelia's hand, and she took it gladly. The brunette squeezed and the blonde squeezed back, and everything seemed to fall into place. "I love you, Lia."</p><p>"I love you too, Winnie," she replied, and all her worries about the day vanished. She debated on whether or not to say anything about Harry and the rose, but she was already feeling like she was about to drift off to sleep any moment now. So she let go of Winnie Bulstrode's hand and turned over on her side so she was facing away from the flickering blue flame. It could wait until the morning, she thought.</p><p>The last thing she heard as her body began to fall asleep with Winnie and the words she said made her smile from ear to ear: "You know, Theo's kind of amazing. I think he might be one of the best people I know."</p><p>Her best friend would be thrilled to hear that, she knew it, and that was her last thought before she was dreaming of the emerald green eyes that belonged to a certain bespectacled, raven-haired boy.</p>
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<a name="section0025"><h2>25. note to self: don’t poke the pink toad</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cordelia closed her eyes, her wand out in front of her, pointing to where Harry stood, bracing for impact. He had convinced her to come early to the Room of Requirement to assist him with Occlumency (because, as he said, Snape was doing a "bloody terrible job at it"), so she had quickly finished the last sentence of her Charms essay and rushed to meet him. Now here they are, Harry with his shoulders tight and Cordelia breathing heavily, waiting to make her move. </p><p>"I'm sorry if it doesn't work, I'm awfully terrible at this part," the brunette gave him an apologetic smile, biting her lip. Harry simply gave her a bright-eyed grin, and she let out her final breath before raising her wand slightly higher. "Legilimens."</p><p>She felt pressure on her head as her vision went dark, and she saw for a moment what was inside Harry's own mind, a clear sign he had not wiped his mind blank like she had instructed him to: the sight of Harry Potter as a child being chased up a tree by what seemed to be pit bulls made her hand fly over her mouth as she tried to suppress the giggles, and when she stopped the spell, her vision cleared and she saw that Harry had collapsed onto the floor. Cordelia rushed beside him, as he sat up, rubbing his head from where he had accidentally hit it on the wall on his way down. </p><p>"You okay?" She asked him, pressing her hand to where he was still rubbing his head. He nodded, and she reached her hand out to pull him up off the floor. He took it, and when he was back on his feet, he grimaced slightly. </p><p>"I don't know how you learned to do this," He muttered, letting his hands drop to his sides as he let out a breath. He adjusted his glasses before he stood up a little straighter. </p><p>"It's easy, really," She admitted, raising her wand slightly once more. "You just need to wipe your mind blank, don't think of anything. Occlumency sort of acts like a shield, blocking some of your memories that are the strongest. I'm not sure if Snape told you this, but Legilimency is like... a complex form of mind-reading if you will. Your goal as an Occlumens is to keep me from entering your head." </p><p>"I've heard that all before," Harry grumbled, and Cordelia gave him a wary look. </p><p>"I know it's difficult, I do, but you just need to keep trying," She said calmly, lowering her wand as she shifted on her feet, watching as Harry's green eyes darted across her face. "We can stop if you'd like. We can always try again tomorrow or the day after if you don't feel up to it." </p><p>"No, we can go again," Harry assured her, and he straightened his shoulders as Cordelia raised herself to her full height, lifting an eyebrow in concern. If he hurt himself every time she did it, she didn't want to be the cause of that.</p><p>"Are you sure? Because--" </p><p>"Let's just go one more time, and if I can't do it, we'll try it again tomorrow," Harry interjected, raising a palm to indicate he was serious, and Cordelia nodded, sighing. </p><p>"Alright. We're going to go step by step this time, okay?" She spoke, and Harry closed his eyes. "Don't let your thoughts distract you. Just focus on your breathing... wipe your mind blank." She waited a moment as she watched his chest heave, his glasses slipping slightly down his nose. She admired him in his relaxed state, and, when she found herself staring for too long, she shook her head and glanced away. Clearing her throat, she raised her wand, and muttered under her breath, "Legilimens." </p><p>Once more, she felt the slight pressure on her head as her vision darkened. In front of her was a scene again of Harry as a child, playing cards with another child in his class, showing the girl how he could make the card lift into the air as if it was on a string. She smiled softly at the scene, still feeling the pressure on her forehead, but then the scene changed, and her mouth fell open as she watched in horror as an older Harry stood in front of her, flinching the back of his uncle's hand collided with his face. She felt a tightness in her chest as a light flashed in front of her, and then, to her surprise, she was back in the Room of Requirement, looking down at Harry as he leaned against the wall. Cordelia bit her cheek, waiting for him to get back to his feet before she opened her mouth to speak, but he stopped her. </p><p>"I know what you're going to say," He said immediately, and she bit her tongue. What, he could read her mind now? She crossed her arms over her chest, wand still in hand. "I don't want to talk about it."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Cordelia told him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. He glanced down at it as his shoulders noticeably tightened, and she pulled her hand away, a frown edging at her lips. "This was a bad idea, I didn't mean to--"</p><p>"No, it's okay," Now it was his turn to reassure her, and he reached his own hand out to her forearm. For once, instead of stiffening at his touch, she felt the iniquity of her Legilimency fade ever-so-slightly and let her steadily increasing heart rate slow. She never wanted to see something so personal. She had been expecting, if she were to see any sort of memory, it would be a happier one, like the first one. Nothing like the second. "My fault."</p><p>"I'll just... forget I ever saw that," she said, biting her lip once more.</p><p>"You don't have to," Harry shrugged his shoulders, and he glanced away. "It was bound to come out eventually. I couldn't keep it a secret for long that they hit me." </p><p>"You don't deserve that," she said timidly, frowning. He let himself look at her again, and she watched his eyes water slightly and his chest heave. Then he blinked quickly, and the water in his eyes had vanished, as if he was able to compose himself with the snap of his fingers-- she was all too skilled in that realm. "I'm really sorry. I wish there was something I could do about it."</p><p>"Yeah, well, if Ron can't do anything, you can't, either," he replied simply. </p><p>"Winnie told me you might be able to spend more time with... Sirius," Saying the name of the world-renowned 'mass murderer' still made her skin crawl, but, after Winnie's explanation, she knew that really wasn't true. "You think you can go live with him? That would certainly be better than being with your bloody aunt and uncle." </p><p>"I hope so," he nodded his head, releasing his hand from her forearm. The absence of his body heat suddenly made her feel cold, and she wrapped her arms around her torso as he continued, letting out a heavy breath. "Well, uh, I should start preparing for the lesson. More Patronus stuff today." </p><p>Cordelia too nodded her head, but neither of them moved, not even a twitch. Instead, they simply stood there, standing in the center of the room, emerald eyes meeting cerulean. It was as though the world stopped around them, she felt, and, just for a moment, she wondered what it would be like to kiss him... and then the door swung open behind them, and they sprang apart, a blush rising to both their faces. </p><p>"Oh, did I interrupt something?" </p><p>The soft voice of Hermione Granger made Cordelia back farther away from Harry to begin placing the cushions in the seating area. She heard Harry cough out an awkward 'No', nodding. To her surprise, she briefly made eye contact with Hermione who gave her a stealthy wink as Harry turned his back on the two girls. Her mouth fell open, shaking her head as if to say, 'No, of course, I don't like him!' but Hermione clearly thought otherwise, for she raised an approving eyebrow and gave her a slick thumbs up. The blue-eyed girl rolled her eyes, trying not to smile as she finished placing the cushions around on the floor. As she turned around to move to her familiar spot, Hermione's sudden approach to her side startled her and she almost fell back onto the cushions. </p><p>"What's going on with you two?" She asked, clearly interested, as her eyes darted from Harry and then back to her. She was grateful for the other members of Dumbledore's army pouring into the room, so then they wouldn't hear the two girl's conversation. She saw Winnie enter beside Seamus Finnigan over Hermione's shoulder, and moved to meet her, but Hermione held her arm out. "Oh, come on. You can tell me." </p><p>"No offense, Granger, but I don't know you that well." </p><p>"Oh, I know that. I just found it odd how Harry told me he was going to go study before the meeting, and I come in and he's here with you. Odd, isn't it?" A smirk formed on the girl's face, and Cordelia stared at her as she thought this was very much out of character for the girl. Not that she would know how she acted around her friends, of course, but she clearly would not consider herself as one of the Lion's friends. </p><p>"Are you alright?" Cordelia asked in concern, but she was met with a pearly white smile. </p><p>"Of course I am," she said brightly, her smile widening as Fred Weasley came walking towards them. "I'm just curious as to what's going on with my friend, that's all. You don't have to tell me, I was only joking." </p><p>"Oh, um," Cordelia rubbed the back of her neck awkwardly as Fred Weasley swooped in and kissed Hermione on the cheek. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she held on to them, and Cordelia suddenly felt very hot in the midst of them, and she stepped back a little to give them space. "There's... nothing going on there."</p><p>    "Talking about you and Harry, eh?" Fred questioned, and Cordelia's mouth opened to form an 'O'. "Sorry, was I not supposed to know, or--"</p><p>    "I don't know what you two are talking about, there's nothing going on between us," The brunette assured them, raising her palms. She let out a sigh of relief as Winnie finally approached them, tucking the strands of her blonde hair that framed her face behind her ears. "Oh, thank Merlin you're here. These two seem to think there's something going on with me and Harry which, I assure you, is absolutely false."</p><p>    Winnie sucked her teeth, giving Hermione a tight-lipped smile as if she was trying to hold in her laughter. Cordelia's eyes widened as she realized then that her cousin thought the same, and she scoffed, folding her arms over her chest. "Oh, not you too."</p><p>    "We've got reason to believe it," Winnie shrugged, making Fred chuckle. He let go of Hermione and then grabbed her hand to pull her to their spot on the other side of the room, and she gave the two cousins a small wave as she left. </p><p>    "I could say the same about you and Theo," Cordelia muttered as she took her seat on the cushion. Winnie's jaw dropped, and she smacked her cousin on the shoulder, who giggled and hit her back with a spare cushion. "What? I'm being serious."</p><p>    "And so am I," Winnie spoke calmly, and when Harry moved to stand in front of them, she wiggled her eyebrows at her. Cordelia rolled her eyes once more, avoiding making eye contact with Harry as he cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. Winnie lowered her voice to a whisper. "You can't tell me you don't feel anything for him. For one, he's gorgeous. And second, he's sweet, too! What more could you ask from a bloke?" </p><p>    "I'm not going to confirm or deny anything," Cordelia whispered back as Harry gave the greeting and instructions for the session. "And I would appreciate it if you don't blab about it to your friends, alright?" </p><p>    "Me? Blab?" Winnie gasped slightly, pressing her hand to her chest in fake shock, garnering an odd look from Harry from where he stood as he continued to speak. "I would never." </p><p>    "Sure you wouldn't. You don't remember when I told you I liked Zacharias in the second year, and you bloody told all his friends?" </p><p>    "We were twelve, I'm different now, I assure you," Winnie replied, and Cordelia merely smiled and shook her head. </p><p>    "Whatever you say, Winnie." The two girls followed the lead of the others around them as they all got to their feet, picking up their wands from wherever they had had them previously. They were doing Patronuses again, and Cordelia tapped Winnie on the shoulder as she fished her wand out of her pocket. "Don't disappear on me this time, yeah?"</p><p>    "No problem," Winnie replied with a grin. "Wasn't planning on it this time!"</p><p>    Once more, she rolled her eyes. </p><p>    Cordelia held her wand out in front of her, biting her lip as she thought of the happiest memories she could. She thought of Winnie and the exploding record player that had happened in this very same room; Harry handing her the rose on Valentine's day; her, Max, and Marcus running down the hallway of the Flint family Manor on Christmas morning rushing to the presents that laid under the tree. She marveled at the silver mist that sprouted from her wand like a waterfall, sparkling around her as she concentrated hard on the feeling of euphoria that now filled her veins. She heard vaguely the sound of Luna Lovegood's gasp of 'I got a rabbit!' as her eyes widened upon seeing a more solid figure in the mist ahead of her. </p><p>But as quickly as it had come it vanished, but that didn't halt the grin that was now forming on her face. She was making progress, she knew that much upon seeing what seemed to be the hoof of an animal, the closest she had ever come to making a Patronus. She had tried before in her dormitory after once more practicing the Tempus Interficere spell, but she had not gotten anywhere at all. She closed her eyes once more, thinking of another memory that was sure to get her to the larger, more solid version of the Patronus, when she heard the door burst open and her eyes flew open, expecting to see someone standing there, but it simply closed, as if a gust of wind had opened it and shut it closed. Glancing over to Winnie, the blonde was already drifting closer to her as if to ask the same questions she had on her own mind. </p><p>"What was that about?" Winnie questioned idly. Cordelia didn't have an answer to give, so she simply shrugged, eyes narrowed as she glanced around the room, before blowing softly from between her lips. Just as she opened her mouth to say something else, she jumped as the sound of something being thrown against the floor rang throughout the room, and she and Winnie's gazes both snapped in the direction of where it had come from. </p><p>She spotted Harry, whose wide eyes and terrified expression stared at where she now saw a thrashing house elf at his feet. She recognized the House elf as the one previously belonging to the Malfoy's, and that made her eyes narrow in confusion. She couldn't hear the interaction as Winnie moved closer, and then the blonde, too, stiffened in her place. Cordelia rushed beside her, still watching the interaction with curiosity. Winnie's hand shot out to grip her arm and Cordelia's line of sight snapped to her face as she whispered, "Umbridge is coming, so that means her pissy squad is shortly behind, and you," Winnie dodged an elbow that was being swung at her due to everyone leaving in a hurry as Cordelia shifted out of the way. "Are a part of that squad, so you need to leave now. Pretend you were coming here if you get caught," Winnie's arms shoved Cordelia out in front of her, but she snatched her wrist back. </p><p>"What about you? And Harry, and everyone else? I can't just leave--" She started to argue, but Winnie rolled her eyes and shoved her towards the door. </p><p>"Oh, be reasonable, Cordelia, go!" Winnie directed, giving her a light shove before Winnie made her own way out. Cordelia breathed out heavily from where she stood in the corridor, noticing that Harry was still standing in the room, waiting for everyone to get out before he did himself. </p><p>"Oh, for fuck's sake," she muttered, running back into the room. She quickly made her way towards him, grabbing him by the robes and pulling him out. "We need to leave, now."</p><p>"I'm not going to let everyone else get caught when I'm the one who's leading it," he retorted, forcing his robes out of her grasp. It didn't work, for she latched on to them once more and held them tighter. </p><p>"As Winnie just told me now, be reasonable. I have a plan, we need to go now." </p><p>"I'm not leaving--" </p><p>"Oh, for Merlin's sake, Potter, let's go!" She hissed at him, and he was left momentarily stunned at her harshness. But it seemed to work, and he let her drag him out of the room. She managed to pull him out of the room and out into the corridor as she heard Umbridge's shrill voice from behind her, and she dragged Harry that way. "Don't struggle, just pretend I caught you, alright?" </p><p>"What--" </p><p>Lucky timing, Cordelia thought, as Professor Umbridge came rounding the corner, as the rest of the Inquisitorial squad came around from other ends of the hall. She gripped Harry's robes even tighter as she approached her least favorite Professor (or, rather, human), trying to force the grimace that was on her face down. "I caught one, Professor!" </p><p>"How did you know about this place?" Umbridge questioned immediately as Cordelia stood there with Harry still in her arms. He pretended to struggle, but she held on to him tighter. "You weren't at the meeting today during lunch hour."</p><p>"Oh, I... My brother told me," She managed to make up the lie quickly, and, thankfully, even in their place of tension, Marcus nodded his head to affirm that he did, in fact, tell her about it. She sent him a grateful smile as Umbridge pursed her lips. </p><p>"Well... excellent, Cordelia, very good. Fifty points to Slytherin. Draco," she turned, her high voice making Cordelia's head pound. "You hop along and see if you can find any more of them. Tell the others to look in the library -- anybody out of breath -- check the bathrooms, Miss Bulstrode can check the girl's one -- off you go -- and you," She now addressed the both of them, making her swallow thickly. She once more felt bile creep up her throat, and she prayed she would not have another vomiting episode... "You can come with me to the headmaster's office. Both of you, I think it is only fair for the one who caught Potter to see what he gets for... punishment." She stretched out the last word, and she and Harry shared a terrified glance as they followed Dolores Umbitch back in the direction she and her goons had come from. </p><p>They were at the stone gargoyle within minutes. Cordelia wondered, and she assumed Harry did, too, about how many others had been caught. She knew Millicent would have gotten a kick out of capturing Winnie. She hoped none had been caught, but she knew deep down that one or two of them wouldn't have been as lucky as she had been. </p><p>"Fizzing Whisbee," sang Umbridge, and the stone gargoyle jumped aside, the wall split open, and they ascended the moving stone staircase. They reached the griffin knocker, but Umbridge did not bother to knock, she strode straight inside, prompting Cordelia to follow inside as she continued to grip Harry's robes so tightly that she thought her knuckles were turning white. </p><p>Feeling her face warm in annoyance, she noticed that there were many people in the room as Harry pulled himself out of her grasp. She glanced at him before looking over to where Professor McGonagall stood rigidly beside Dumbledore, face extremely tense, before her gaze drifted to Cornelius Fudge, the minister of magic (who she was very much surprised to see), feeling tense as she looked at the vicious satisfaction on the pudgy man's face. </p><p>"Well, well, well..." </p><p>"He was heading back to Gryffindor Tower," Professor Umbridge cut in excitedly, and it took all her effort not to roll her eyes or scoff. "The Flint girl cornered him." </p><p>"Did she?" Cornelius grinned as he looked at her, and she glanced away pointedly. "I must remember to tell Carleton. Well, Potter... I expect you know why you're here?" </p><p>Cordelia waited anxiously for his response, and when it came, she once more mustered all her strength to not hit him across the head for being stupid. "Yeah-- no." </p><p>"I beg your pardon?" said Fudge.</p><p>"No," said Harry, firmly. </p><p>"You don't know why you're here?" </p><p>"No, I don't," said Harry. </p><p>"Miss Flint, I think you should step outside. This is a... personal academic matter," Professor McGonagall spoke up, but when Cordelia opened her mouth to protest, the woman did not take it. "This is not up for discussion. Follow me." </p><p>    The brunette gave Harry a wary look as she was pulled outside the door with Professor McGonagall, and, when the door shut behind them, she was met with a question that made her mouth fall open in shock. "You are a part of the group, I assume?"</p><p>    She decided to lie. "No, ma'am."</p><p>    "Please don't lie to me, Miss Flint. I will make sure you aren't caught, rest assured, but you were there?" </p><p>    She hesitated but decided to say the truth anyway. At least this wasn't Professor Umbridge confronting her, she thought. "Uh, yeah. I was. Is there something wrong with that?" </p><p>    "No, nothing at all. I am proud of you all for taking this learning situation into your own hands. But I am advising you to be extremely careful because it could have dangerous consequences. You are lucky you are involved in the Inquisitorial Squad, or else you might have been caught."</p><p>    "I'm aware." </p><p>    Professor McGonagall's expression hardened. "Please stay out here in the event we need a witness."</p><p>    "But won't that tell them I was involved in the group?" </p><p>    "I mean about what happened when Potter was caught," she spoke harshly, but at the same time, she kept her voice steady and calm. Cordelia didn't know how she did it. "We may need another account, as you know that Dolores's point of view may not be too... accurate." </p><p>    "I know, Professor." </p><p>    "I will come to get you if you are needed." Then Professor McGonagall turned her back on her and walked back into Dumbledore's office, closing the door behind her. Cordelia huffed, and she leaned her shoulder against the cold stone wall as she waited (not very) patiently to be called back inside, focusing on the mosaic pattern on the ceiling. </p><p>    After what felt like forever, there was a sound similar to that of a gunshot and she jumped, nearly falling down the stairs. She gripped the railing tight as she got back to her feet, nearly tumbling to the floor once more as the ground rumbled below her. She heard the screech of a bird (from where, she didn't know), and out of sudden fear she pushed open the door to Dumbledore's office, and she immediately fell into a coughing fit as the dust inside the room consumed her. </p><p>    When the dust cleared, Cordelia was shocked to see Umbridge, Fudge, the black man she didn't know the identity of, and one other person lying motionless on the floor. A bird she had only seen in tales, a phoenix, was circling the room, and she assumed that's where she had heard the bird call from outside the room. She saw Dumbledore walk over to Harry where he was crouched down on the floor, and she rushed to his side, raising her hand to touch his shoulder. He looked over to her with a stressed expression on his face, but he leaned into her touch as she rubbed circles on his back gently. </p><p>    "Are you all right?" Dumbledore asked, and Professor McGonagall said 'Yes' as she pulled Harry and the girl she knew as Marietta Edgecombe to her feet. Cordelia got to her feet as well, looking around the room where she saw items were strewn everywhere as if it had been raided. She moved closer to Harry again, her hand still on his back. "Unfortunately, I had to hex Kingsley too, or else it would have looked very suspicious. He was remarkably quick on the uptake, modifying Miss Edgecome's memory like that while everyone was looking the other way-- thank him for me won't you, Minerva? </p><p>    "Now, they will awake very soon and it will be best if they do not that we had time to communicate-- you must act as though no time has passed, as though they were merely knocked to the ground, they will not remember--" </p><p>    "Where will you go, Dumbledore? Grimmauld Place?" whispered Professor McGonagall, making Cordelia wonder where the hell 'Grimmauld Place' was. </p><p>    "Oh, no," said Dumbledore with a grim smile, making her and Harry exchange a look as she let her hand fall down beside her. "I am not leaving to go into hiding. Fudge will soon know he'd never dislodged me from Hogwarts, I promise you..." </p><p>    Dislodged? What the hell had happened in there when she had been forced outside?</p><p>    "Professor Dumbledore..." Harry began. </p><p>    Cordelia did not know what was going on, but she knew that Harry's mind was racing with some sort of internal battle. She made a spontaneous decision to reach out and grab his hand, and he glanced down surprisingly at it but did not let go as Dumbledore opened his mouth to speak. She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Listen to me, Harry. You must study Occlumency as hard as you can, do you understand me? Do everything Professor Snape tells you to do and practice it particularly every night before sleeping so that you can close your mind to bad dreams-- you will understand why soon enough, but you must promise me--" </p><p>    One of the men on the floor was stirring, and Dumbledore seized Harry's other wrist. "Remember, close your mind--" Harry closed his eyes, shutting them tight... "--you will understand." </p><p>    Then, out of nowhere, Fawkes circled the office and swopped low over the old man. Dumbledore released Harry, raised his hand, and grasped the phoenix's long golden tail. There was a flash of fire and the pair of them were gone, leaving Cordelia and Harry standing hand in hand in the center of the destroyed room, surrounded by the stirring bodies around them. </p><p>    "Where is he?" yelled Fudge, pushing himself up off the ground as Professor McGonagall dragged her, Harry, and Marietta out of the room. "Where is he?" </p><p>    "He can't have disapparated, you can't inside this school--" </p><p>    "The stairs!" cried the other man, and he pushed McGonagall out of the way of the door and was quickly followed by Umbridge and the other man. Fudge hesitated, and then got to his feet, brushing dust off his front. </p><p>    "Well, Minerva," said Fudge nastily, as Cordelia and Harry edged closer towards the door. "I'm afraid this is the end of your friend Dumbledore." </p><p>    "You think so, do you?" replied Professor McGonagall scornfully. Fudge seemed not to hear her as he pushed past her, looking around at the wrecked office, ignoring a few of the portraits on the wall hissing at him or even making rude hand gestures. </p><p>    "You'd better get those three off to bed," said Fudge, looking back at the Professor with a dismissive nod to Cordelia, Harry, and Marietta. Then without saying anything else, he left the room, stomping on his way out as he followed his fellow Ministry members on their mission to capture Dumbledore, wherever he went. </p><p>    Professor McGonagall said nothing at all but marched the three of them to the door. As the door swung behind them and Cordelia gripped Harry's hand even tighter, she heard a voice of one of the portraits behind her to the other, and she grinned slightly to herself as it said, "I disagree with Dumbledore on many counts... but you cannot deny he's got style..."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0026"><h2>26. the two of us against the world</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When the world is full of terrors and that constant void of nightmares that eat away at our brains, our mothers are there to engulf us in their warmth. They act as a safety net, taking the blow of our fears and kissing our forehead with gentle touches that soothe our worst terrors. It is widely accepted that it is this that is the most important thing for any child to have: the embrace of their mother.</p><p>As we grow, the world becomes wider, we snap, we explode, we cry, we do everything we can to fight against our mothers, everything we can to leave the tiny box that we were placed inside of. But deep within our hearts, we depend on that love, that first best friend.</p><p>And suddenly, when it's gone, out of reach from you, it's like sucking in breaths of air but drowning under a constant river of water.</p><p>It's how Cordelia Flint felt now, floating and drowning with her hand clasped tightly in the cold grasp of her unconscious mother.</p><p>She breathed out, shifting her body in the uncomfortable wooden chair that was beside Emilia Flint's bedside, squeezing her mum's cold hand. She hoped that she would have felt her mother squeeze back, a sign that she was okay, that her condition was improving, but alas, she didn't, and it was as limp as it had been before. She blinked away the tears that were prickling in her eyes, glancing away from the face of the woman who once held her and told her that everything would be okay.</p><p>The Healer spoke up from the other side of her, and Cordelia raised her head. "I don't know how much time she has left, darling," the woman said, making the brunette's eyes drop to the floor, trying to hide her distraught. "We are doing everything we can."</p><p>"Thank you," Cordelia managed, and the Healer nodded, leaving the room, closing the door behind her gently. It was when she heard the door click closed when she finally let a tear roll down her face, wetting her neck. "I'm sorry, Mum." She subconsciously waited for a response, but her mother's lips did not move nor did she make any indication that she could hear her. Cordelia sucked in a heavy breath, trying to will the tears that were beginning to make her vision blurry to stop. "I'm sorry. I wish... I wish I'd been a better daughter. I was terrible to you."</p><p>She paused again, squeezing Emilia's hand once more. More tears strolled down her face, and she hastily wiped them away with the back of her empty hand. "It wasn't your fault that I pretended that... that you didn't exist. That I ignored you... I-- It was all me, I was the one who made those decisions, and I am so, so sorry. I regret it, now you're... sick, dying--" She choked out a sob, letting her forehead drop to the mattress as she cried, even harder now. "You were already d-dealing with so much, Mum, and I just added on to that..."</p><p>It wasn't your fault, Emilia's voice rang in her head, a memory from the day her brother had died: for a moment she was back in her mother's embrace, in the body of her younger self. It wasn't your fault. It's okay, my love.</p><p>More tears, more pain. It was a cycle. A vicious, angry cycle. "If you... if you make it out of this alive-- not if, when," she corrected herself, wiping her cheeks again and sniffling. "I promise to do better. I will do better."</p><p>She promised herself, then and there, that she would. And Cordelia wasn't just doing it for herself, she was doing it for her mother-- she couldn't let their relationship go down the drain as it once had.</p><p>She sat up straighter in her chair, still holding tightly onto Emilia's hand, not wanting to let go in fear that her mother would die right then and there. "Um, I asked Marcus if he wanted to come... he said no. Told me he had studying to do for NEWTS," she laughed bitterly, looking down at the floor again as she twisted the ring on her mother's finger. "I know you two were close, I think he's... avoiding facing you. I don't blame him, he's been not himself since he got marked."</p><p>Her eyes drifted from the floor to the other side of the room, where another bed lay empty. Photos of Gilderoy Lockhart were plastered on the walls behind him, as this was, unfortunately, a permanent ward, and the wand belonging to her old Professor lay on the side table beside the cot. She stared at it for a minute, letting a sad smile twitch at her lips as she knew that if anything good were to come out of her mother's dreadful condition, and if she passed, she would spend her last moments in the company of her one true love. "I wish I had known him earlier," she confided, still looking at a particular photo of him at a book signing that was hung above a plant. "You know, I met his sister. Eleanor," she said. "She was nice. And she spoke very highly of you."</p><p>The sound of the door opening made her twist her head around, and another Healer walked inside, and her heart pounded loudly in her chest as Gilderoy Lockhart followed, hospital gown and all. His blue eyes, her eyes, were like a light in the darkness, standing out against the sickly color of his skin and making her glance away pointedly. She wanted to know him, she did, but not in this condition.</p><p>If she were to ever know him, she wanted him to be the father she deserved. The father she needed.</p><p>As Gilderoy settled down into his bed, watching her with wide eyes, she wondered what Carleton Flint would do to his wife if she had ever found out about her infidelity during their marriage— she didn't get too far in the thought because, if the man could kill his son over something so small, then there was no doubt in the world that he would do something much, much worse to her. For a moment, she saw her mother dead at her father's feet, and she cupped her empty hand over her mouth and shut her eyes tight, making herself see nothing and forcing the vision away.</p><p>"Emilia?" Lockhart's voice brought her to open her eyes again, and she noticed that the Healer was filling in the chart at his bedside. When her gaze drifted to him, he was watching her with a sparkle in his eye, standing up from the bed and walking closer to her. She watched him for a moment, confused when he lifted his hand to her cheek and smiled brightly at her. "Emilia, is that you?"</p><p>Then it hit her, and she gently lifted her hand to his and brought it back down to his side as she shook her head, and it physically pained her to see the light in his eyes die, burning out like the spark of a candle. "I'm... I'm not Emilia. My name's Cordelia," she said hesitantly, making the Healer's head raise. "I'm Emilia's daughter."</p><p>Gilderoy stared at her in confusion, eyes darting across her face as if to understand why someone who looked so much like her mother's younger self was not the woman herself. Then his eyes found where she lay unconscious in her hospital bed, and Cordelia saw with a jab in her chest when his skin paled significantly as he looked at her.</p><p>"Emilia?"</p><p>"Gilderoy, why don't we sit down..." said the Healer, moving to touch his arm, but he quickly stepped out of the way so she couldn't grab him. "But... Emilia is sitting right there," he pointed in her direction, making her flush red in embarrassment. Did she really look that much like her mother? He then began to pace the room, and Cordelia breathed heavily at the sight of him as he seemed agitated, confused. "What's going on?"</p><p>"Miss Flint, I think you should step outside," said the Healer cautiously, and Cordelia gave her mother's hand one last squeeze before she followed direction and got to her feet. "This is a good thing, it means he is getting his memory back. But he will be in shock, so it's the best thing for both of you if he is alone for this. I will update you when he's ready for visitors again."</p><p>"But—"</p><p>"I'm sorry, sweetheart, it's protocol with our permanent residents," replied the Healer, giving her a sad smile. "As I said, I will send word when you can come back." Cordelia spared one last glance at Gilderoy where he stood over her mother's unconscious body before the Healer gently guided her out of the hospital room and into the empty corridor. When she shut the door behind her, she stood there in the hallway facing the door. She caught a glimpse of the Healer through the window in the door before the curtains behind it were shut closed and then, as she had expected, she was left alone.</p><p>Cordelia hoped with every cell in her body that her mother would wake up, that she would open her brown eyes and see the world again. She hoped that she would once more find herself in her mother's embrace, to feel the warmth of her mother's touch on her skin, to feel loved again.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>━━</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Cordelia had stepped out of the fire in Professor Snape's office with blotchy skin and puffy red eyes. She ignored his question of concern as she simply pushed the door open and left the room, sniffling slightly as she walked out into the corridor.</p><p>She patted the pocket of her trousers, feeling the weight of the compact mirror inside it, and then she pulled it out. She wiped her eyes hastily one more time before she flipped it open, took out her wand as well, and muttered the spell to activate it. Immediately it began to shimmer, and so she muttered, "Winnie?"</p><p>After a few seconds, the blonde's face appeared in the mirror as she walked down the first staircase leading to the second floor. "Lia? What happened, are you alright?" Cordelia stuffed her wand back into her pocket, adjusting her bag where it lay slung over her shoulder.</p><p>"Can you come to the library? Please. I'll explain what I get there."</p><p>"Of course, I'll be right there," Winnie replied quickly, smiling reassuringly before the image of her face filtered out as the girl shut the compact on her end of the line. Cordelia's fingers quickly shut the compact, breathing out a heavy breath before she made her way to the library.</p><p>A few minutes later, her feet tired from all the walking she had done that day, she finally reached the library. She pushed open the doors and walked inside, immediately carrying her feet over towards the table she knew Winnie usually sat at. Turning the corner, she saw the table void of people, the brunette chewed on the inside of her cheek as she glanced out the window. Reaching up and running tiredly at her eyes with her knuckles, she took a seat at the table, continuing to stare out the window as she waited for her cousin. After a few moments, the blonde appeared from behind the corner, regular muggle clothes strapped across her body with her hair pulled into a hazard mess upon her head. The brunette heard her footsteps trace closer to her, before finally her hand landed on her intertwined once on the table.</p><p>Winnie was quiet, which was something Cordelia knew she did to give people time, space. The brunette chewed on the inside of her cheek, before finally speaking. "I saw my mother today," she said without hesitation, making Winnie's eyes widen slightly and her fingers squeeze together around Cordelia's.</p><p>"How is she?"</p><p>"She's... the Healer said they don't know how much time she has left, her condition is worsening," the brunette confided, feeling the tears prick at her eyes once more. She glanced away pointedly, her gaze drifting to the bookshelf before she regained her composure and looked back at her cousin, who had a sad look on her face.</p><p>"I'm so sorry, Lia," she said sadly, reaching out a hand to hold hers. Cordelia took it, allowing her cousin's touch to bring her back into reality.</p><p>She sucked in a deep breath, her chest heaving. "I don't know what to think about it. Part of me feels like I shouldn't care if she's sick, but the rest— the 99% — is telling me that if she dies, I'll just be alone again."</p><p>"That's not true," Winnie quipped, and Cordelia tilted her head to better see her face. "You have me. I'm not going anywhere, trust me on that." She squeezed Cordelia's hand. "But I don't think you should worry about Aunt Emilia dying right now, Lia. That's a bridge we should cross when we get there— for now, try to focus on the fact that she's alive and there's a chance she will get better. I believe she will."</p><p>"You didn't see her," she muttered, removing her hand from Winnie's hold. The blonde frowned and shut her textbook closed, filed the papers together, twisted the top of her ink bottle shut, and slid everything to the side so she could focus solely on her cousin who was trying so hard to fight back another wave of tears.</p><p>"Listen to me, Lia," Winnie demanded, forcing Cordelia to raise her blue eyes to meet Winnie's hazel. She swallowed thickly. "Even if she does pass, which I doubt she will, you will have me still. Even Marcus—"</p><p>"Marcus is barely speaking to me," Cordelia said bitterly, but Winnie ignored it. "What I'm trying to say is, that you will have all the support you need if she goes. You won't be alone." Cordelia bit her inner cheek.</p><p>"I know. I know, it's just that I— I don't know if I would be able to handle losing someone again. I've already lost Max, Marcus is as good as gone—"</p><p>"Marcus is being forced to do what he thinks is wrong. That would mess with anyone's head."</p><p>"I know that, I do—"</p><p>"Cordelia, this is your problem," Winnie said suddenly, her jaw locking and face turning as hard as stone. Cordelia's eyes widened slightly at the sudden change in her demeanor. "You don't trust people. You do everything with caution, you have a tendency to shut people out, and even when they've proven themselves to you, you don't let them in. That is your problem."</p><p>Cordelia narrowed her eyes at her, gritting her teeth. She wanted to say that she was wrong, that she did trust people, but she knew deep down that that was not the case. She heaved out a sigh, looking at a spot over Winnie's head as she pondered a response. When she had one, she leaned forward against the table. "You do the same thing."</p><p>"But at least I'm trying to work on it," Winnie replied calmly, sitting back in her chair. "You're clearly not making an effort."</p><p>"That's not fair." "I'm not trying to diss you, Lia, I'm trying to help you," said Winnie, making Cordelia scoff. "I know Marcus is doing his best to shut out the bad. I know you are doing your best to keep yourself from going insane after all the trauma you've endured. But you won't be able to get through things alone, even if your mother recovers. We're at the brink of war, Lia, and I don't think you understand how important it is to trust people. To confide in them."</p><p>"Do you understand how important it is?" Cordelia snapped, her voice rising slightly. Winnie scowled, clearly not happy they were arguing again. In light of the look on her face, Cordelia breathed in, out, in, out, trying to calm herself down so all the anger she had inside her didn't bubble to the surface. "I'm sorry. No, you're right. I have to work on it."</p><p>"When am I ever wrong?" Winnie smiled, and Cordelia tried to smile, too, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. The frown was back on her face in an instant, and Winnie rolled her eyes again. "Just... try and work on it. Your life will be a hell of a lot easier if you do. I learned this the hard way."</p><p>A silence fell over the girls, covering them in a warm blanket of quiet as they both let their minds wander for a moment or two before the brunette broke the silence. "You know, Lockhart seems to be getting his memory back."</p><p>Winnie's eyes lit up, and she leaned against the table in interest. "Oh, wow, really?"</p><p>"He called me by my mother's name," she said. "That's a good sign, isn't it?" "It is, but before I could ask more, they kicked me out of the room," Cordelia revealed, crossing her arms over her chest, glancing warily over at the library doors where they opened once again, and to her surprise, Harry Potter walked in, and when he spotted she and Winnie, a smile lit upon his face, and he strode towards them. She returned her attention to Winnie as Harry made his way over. "It was weird, honestly. I don't really know how to feel about it. I still find it strange that he and my mother were... you know."</p><p>"Me too, I never would've thought... Lockhart, out of all people," she said, falling silent as Harry then approached them. "Well, well! Look who it is, I wonder how did you ever find us?" she then drawled, teasing as she grinned. </p><p>"Well, I'm here because..." he trailed off, shifting on his feet, standing there awkwardly for a moment before he cleared his throat. "Cor," Cordelia felt her lips twitch upward at the sound of him using her nickname, "Are you busy?" Winnie suddenly pushed her chair pack from the table before she moved into a standing position, making both Harry and Cordelia look up to her. </p><p>"Well, I'm famished, so I better go hunt down some food," she grinned, patting her stomach as Cordelia watched her with a raised brow. The blonde inclined her head towards Harry before winking (goddamnit, Winnie Bulstrode), then she leaned down to kiss Cordelia's forehead before standing up straight and throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do, kis," she said, winking again as she walked beside Harry. Cordelia rolled her eyes, slightly annoyed with Winnie as she made a scene. "Or, I don't know, maybe do worse," she teased, chuckling as Harry threw her a dark look, a blush rising to his cheeks. Cordelia stifled a chuckle as she watched Winnie leave the library.</p><p>"Clearly not anymore, why do you ask?" She asked, changing the subject as Harry pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. As he did so, his emerald eyes became more visible, and they twinkled brightly under the light from the library.</p><p>"There's something I want to show you," he said, and he held out his hand for her to take.</p><p>"Are you asking me on a date, Potter?" Cordelia smirked up at him, making his cheeks flush slightly before the color then promptly disappeared. </p><p>"If that's what you want to call it, then yes, yes I am," Harry confirmed, making Cordelia's heart leap in her chest, and she looked to Winnie's empty spot before she took his hand gently and got to her feet.</p><p>"So, uh, where are we going, then?"</p><p>"You'll see," He replied, glancing down at her before pulling her readily out of the library and out into the corridor, where the cascade of students usually running through the halls was beginning to die down. The two walked hand in hand, neither of them bothering to let go of the other, as they walked up to one of the moving staircases that led to the fourth floor.</p><p>Small talk wove its way into their conversation, and as they turned the corner she found herself talking about the bloody weather. The weather, for Merlin's sake! Did she not have anything better to discuss with the raven-haired boy? Nothing at all? The only other thing on her mind at the moment was her mother's unconscious body, and that clearly wasn't a good conversation starter. Fortunately, after a few more moments of silence that made Cordelia's palms sweat, Harry spoke up, tightening his grip on her hand as they finally came to a stop on the seventh floor. "We're going in there."</p><p>"The Room of Requirement?" Cordelia asked him, letting go of his hand and walking closer to the empty spot in the wall where the door would usually be. "You didn't bring me here for more Occlumency lessons, did you?"</p><p>Harry barked out a laugh, grasping her hand once more and making her stop in her tracks. "No, I didn't."</p><p>"Then why are we here?" she asked him cautiously, looking up into his face. He watched her for a moment, carefully drinking in every square inch of her face, searching for something, before he turned towards the empty wall once more. When she was sure he wasn't looking, she blushed, glancing down at the ground to hide the warmth that colored her cheeks.</p><p>"Think of the place that makes you the happiest," he told her, making her frown slightly. Now wasn't the best time for her to be able to recall a place like that. If anything, it was her bed, comfortable and cozy enough to let her fall asleep and escape the reality she called hell. But there were plenty of places that made her so extremely buoyant as a child, so when he nodded his head in signal she should go for it, she shut her eyes and thought of the very place.</p><p>He pulled her hand to make her walk forward past the wall as she thought of the place, and for a moment she believed she could smell it, the fresh aroma of the flowers surrounding her as if she was there again. Then, after a few strokes of time, he whispered to her, "Open your eyes." And so she did.</p><p>Immediately, tears sprang to her eyes: happy ones, very much unlike the ones she had cried that morning in her mother's hospital room. She had been right, when she believed she could smell the fresh scent of roses, as she now saw they were in front of her: in fact, the garden she used to play around as a child and read books in as a teenager, the one place she felt safe at her home, was now here, within Hogwarts, and that made her squeeze Harry's arm in glee. "What-- how--"</p><p>"It's the magic," said Harry, pulling her farther inside. The garden hedges rose up like tall buildings around them, a gate behind them where the door leading out of the Room of Requirement was. "I thought you might need a pick-me-up, it was... a spontaneous decision."</p><p>"This is amazing," she gaped, as then above her seemed like she was outside in the sun, the sunshine shining over her as she watched birds soar overhead as if they were under a glass dome out in the middle of the prettiest place on Earth. "Did this place always do this?"</p><p>"I mean, yeah," Harry shrugged absentmindedly as he admired a flower on the hedge. "You came here for Winnie's birthday, didn't you? And the Dumbledore's Army meetings. There are so many possibilities this room can hold."</p><p>Cordelia moved over to stand beside him, leaning down picking a flower from the bush. She twisted it around in her fingers before handing it over to him, and Harry took it without protest, looking at it as though it was the world's most priceless piece of gold. "That's for the rose you gave me," she said with a smile, the grin growing even wider every moment she spent inside the garden. Although they had only been in here for a few minutes, the overwhelming feeling of grief that was consuming her seemed to fade, and for the first time in months, she felt completely and utterly okay while she and Harry stood under the light of the sun.</p><p>"Was everything alright when I came down?" Harry asked suddenly, making her look up from her spot on the ground where she had been admiring the wildflowers. "You seemed... upset."</p><p>Cordelia huffed, drawing herself to her full height and twirling another flower in between her fingers. "It's my mother," she told him, biting her lip as she rocked on the balls of her feet. "She's getting worse. They don't think she's going to make it."</p><p>Harry's face fell, and he moved closer to her, wrapping his arms over her shoulders and holding her tight in an embrace. For an instant she froze, unsure of what to do before she let herself melt into his arms, feeling the warmth of his touch enclose her. She squeezed him back, blinking back the tears that were once more threatening to fall down her face due to her mother's condition before she pulled back and wiped furiously at her eyes. "I'm sorry about that, Cordelia."</p><p>"It's okay," she sniffled, and she laughed a little bit, trying to diffuse the sadness in the room that had come on so suddenly. "I don't want to think about that right now, all I want to do is just... just focus on the flowers."</p><p>Harry nodded in agreement, and then, as if a light bulb went off in his head, he smirked, pulling out his wand as he did so. "I have an idea."</p><p>"And what bright idea would that be, Potter?" Cordelia laughed, wiping away at the tears in her eyes. She heaved in a breath, watching as Harry inclined for her to take her wand out as well.</p><p>"Try to cast a Patronus," he said, leaning his weight on one leg as her eyes widened slightly. "We can try together. It'll be fun."</p><p>"I haven't been able to do it these last couple of times, what makes you think I can do one now?" the brunette scoffed, but she pulled out her wand anyway. "It's too difficult for me."</p><p>"If I can do Occlumency," Harry said, raising an eyebrow at her as she rolled her eyes. "Then you can try to cast one."</p><p>"You did it once."</p><p>"I still did it," Harry said, making her suck her teeth in what she at first was annoyance, but the more she thought about it, it was admiration. She knew he was right, trying once was better than not trying at all.</p><p>She stared at her wand where it lay in her hand, the intricate ridges and designs like a wildflower that snaked up from the bottom of the acacia wood to the very top. She thought about the core, how it was likely that the unicorn hair inside of it glowed whenever she used her magic, and she bit her lip, wondering if she really could do it.</p><p>"You do it first," she said, inclining her head towards where Harry had his wand out. He twirled it in his fingers once before he pointed it in the direction of a bush of wildflowers just ahead of them before he closed his eyes, took in a deep breath, and said loudly, 'Expecto Patronum!'</p><p>A jet of silver light burst from the end of his wand, culminating in the air into what seemed to be a ball of pure light. It began to transform in the air, the crystalline nature of what Cordelia now saw to be a stag filling the Room with a light she had only seen once before when he had last conjured a Patronus. It pranced around the garden, leaning down to sniff the roses before it came to stop in front of her. Its head tilted as if to get a better look at the brunette's face, standing quite still as she stared back at it with wide eyes.</p><p>She had never appreciated how beautiful these creatures could be, the way it guarded the soul of its owner with such dedication, with such loyalty. The smile on her face widened as the stag threw his head back and ran in the opposite direction, prancing throughout the garden as if it was its happy place.</p><p>"You have a go," said Harry from beside her, moving to step closer to her. She pushed her wand out in front of her, eyes still lingering on the stag where it came to a stop near the little pond, and took in a breath. "Focus on happy memories, Cor."</p><p>Cor. She smiled.</p><p>Cordelia closed her eyes, letting her thoughts roam to some of the happiest moments she had had in her almost sixteen years of life. She thought about the first time she had stepped foot on Hogwarts soil, marveling at the dazzling lights overhead as she stood in the Great Hall; hiding from their parents in the pantry of their kitchen with Max when she was a child, falling into mischievous giggles whenever they heard a footstep; she and Winnie in the same very room on her birthday, laughing so hard their stomachs hurt; Harry handing her the rose when he approached her on Valentine's Day, making her face warm with admiration.</p><p>When she opened her eyes again, she laughed as her own silver mist protruded from the end of her wand, flying up into the air in the same ball of light Harry's had. It transformed mid-air, and she looked to Harry with a grin on her face, and he returned it. Her eyes widened, even more, the moment she saw what animal her Patronus had taken the form of, and her jaw fell open in shock and astonishment.</p><p>"A stag, too?" Cordelia asked, puzzled when she looked at Harry while her Patronus came to a halt in front of her. It leaned forward to nuzzle her face and she laughed, feeling a shiver run down her body when its transparent head passed straight through her body.</p><p>"No," said Harry, whose face lit up at the sight of her Patronus, staring at it in awe. "That's a doe."</p><p>"A doe," she repeated, eyes softening at the sight of her doe, that, when it took notice of the stag on the other end of the garden, ran over in the direction of it. She moved to stand closer to Harry as they both watched the two deer run around together as if this was the first time they had seen each other in an eternity.</p><p>It was a magical sight, watching their Patronus's fall down to the ground together, feeling Harry's hand slip into hers. They stood there like that, hand in hand, simply observing the manifestation of their souls parading around the garden, forgetting that there was a whole other world below them, bustling with people-- people who would gladly tear the two to pieces just for a bit of fun.</p><p>But for now, they were alone, and it was the two of them against the world.</p>
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<a name="section0027"><h2>27. on the brink of war</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The fading light in her eyes suddenly became more vibrant as Cordelia stepped out of the Charms classroom late that afternoon, feeling the weight of her heavier exams lift off her shoulders. Her stomach grumbled and she pressed her hand to it, glad she had made plans with Winnie to meet in the kitchens in just a few minutes. She sighed, pulling her hair back into a messy bun that rested at the nape of her neck as she spotted Theo, who had just emerged from the classroom across the hall, and she called him over.</p><p>As he joined her and they fell into step together, she noticed that he had a worried look on his face, which made her frown slightly. Theo glanced around the corridor as if making sure that no one was listening in, before he said in a quiet voice, "I need to talk to you."</p><p>"Is everything alright?" she asked him, her voice dropping an octave in worry. Her best friend never sounded this anxious, unless he was talking about his father (a subject that almost never left his lips), which, in turn, made her stomach twist in concern.</p><p>"Oh, nothing at all. Not unless you count Millicent Bulstrode throwing herself on top of me at every second," his lips thinned into a line as he spoke, making Cordelia roll her eyes at the mention of her cousin. She'd noticed that the girl hadn't left Theo alone since the announcement of their engagement (a fact that she had to tell Winnie soon enough), which made her quite undeniably upset. Millicent didn't deserve to be married to Theodore Nott-- he was too good for her. He was too good for anyone ( maybe not Winnie, of course ).</p><p>"What's she been doing now?" she asked him as he adjusted his bag and ran a hand through his dark locks.</p><p>"She keeps talking to me like we're already dating, even tried to kiss me the other night," he grumbled, and the brunette's jaw dropped. She wanted to slap Millicent across the face, to see her fall to the ground... but that was something she could fantasize about another day. "I don't want to marry her. It feels like I'm betraying Winnie if I do that... and I just can't see myself living under the same roof as Millicent, or... or sleeping in the same bed..." he shuddered, and Cordelia understood why. No sane person would want to spend the rest of their life with an unpleasant person like Millicent Bulstrode.</p><p>"I'm sure Winnie wouldn't want you marrying her, either," uttered Cordelia before she could stop herself, and when she realized what she said, her eyes widened and her hand drifted to her mouth.</p><p>The anxiety-ridden face of Theo shifted into a smirk as he looked down at her, and an embarrassed flush appeared on her cheeks. "Are you saying she likes me?"</p><p>"Oh, hush, you know what I meant," she murmured as they turned the corner, making Theo laugh a little. "On the topic of Winnie," she started, knowing she grabbed Theo's attention from the way she felt his mossy green eyes on her. "When are you going to tell her?"</p><p>He huffed, glancing away pointedly as they passed through another hall of classrooms. Before he could open his mouth to speak, the feeling of someone tapping her on the shoulder made Cordelia jump, and she spun around to see Claire standing there with a wide smile on her face.</p><p>"Oh, my God," she breathed out, and with a quick glance to Theo, she knew that their conversation about his relationship (or lack thereof) with Millicent Bulstrode was over, and she felt slightly irritated that Claire had chosen this time to pop up. But, she was her friend, so she put a smile on her face as she spoke next. "You scared the shit out of me."</p><p>"Sorry," Claire giggled, raising her hands to adjust the phoenix-shaped pin in her hair. "I feel like I haven't seen you in forever!" She acknowledged, pulling her into a hug that she reluctantly returned. "You either, Theo. I've been so busy with Quidditch, and I've been hanging out with Adrien more... oh, Cor, when exams are over, I have so much to tell you about it, it's ridiculous."</p><p>"Are you two... a thing?" asked Theo hesitantly, waving his hands in the air as if to reference a relationship. Cordelia nodded, wanting to know the answer, too.</p><p>"I'm... not sure," admitted Claire with a slight frown before it was replaced with her usual grin as she pulled away from the hug. "I'm sure we'll figure it out. I've got to go, though, promise we'll hang out soon. I'm sorry for being M.I.A, really, I am."</p><p>"Don't worry about it, Claire," said Cordelia softly, reaching out to touch her on the shoulder. "Breakfast tomorrow? Please tell me you don't have practice."</p><p>Claire shook her head. "No, I'm free tomorrow."</p><p>"Good, good, I'll see you then?"</p><p>"For sure!" Claire smiled brightly at her before she took off in the opposite direction, leaving Cordelia and Theo standing in the center of the corridor waiting for her to be out of earshot before they spoke again.</p><p>"Well she seems... happy," Theo noted, bobbing his head as he stared at the spot where she had just disappeared moments prior.</p><p>"I feel bad, I haven't made any time for her," Cordelia frowned, fixing the waist of her uniform skirt. "And her and Adrien... never would've expected that, would you?"</p><p>"Not a surprise," Theo shrugged innocently as they set off down the corridor once more. "The bloke always goes for the younger girls."</p><p>"Theo!" Cordelia gasped, hitting him on the shoulder with her palm. She laughed, pressing her hand over her mouth as she tried to contain more giggles. "I don't understand you sometimes."</p><p>"I'm just a mystery," he said confidently, making her laugh again.</p><p>"Indeed you are, maybe that's why all the girls around here like you."</p><p>"Ha-ha, very funny," said Theo monotonously, sticking out his tongue. And then he sighed, letting his hand drop to his side as a sudden look of exhaustion settled on his face, and Cordelia gave him a sad smile. "I don't know if I'll tell her anytime soon."</p><p>"You should, Theo," She advised, knowing what Winnie was like when someone kept a secret. "I can do it if you want me to. Might soften the blow a bit."</p><p>"Thanks for the offer, but..." He sighed heavily. "You know what? Just do it. I want to get it over with."</p><p>Cordelia's eyebrows furrowed, watching him carefully. "Are you sure? I don't want to make anything worse--"</p><p>"You won't," he cut in, stopping her by holding out his arm. She breathed out heavily, looking up into his green eyes where there seemed to be a fighting battle inside of them. "When it comes to Millicent, I doubt you could make anything worse."</p><p>"Well, uh," she cleared her throat as she rocked on her feet. "I'm supposed to meet Winnie at the kitchens. Do you want to come with? I'm sure she wouldn't mind."</p><p>"I'm just going to go back to my dorm," he said, with a heavy sigh, and Cordelia bit her lip. She was hoping he would say yes, and then he could tell her about the engagement herself, but now it was on her. She could keep it a secret if she wanted, have Theo wait to be ready to tell her, but she knew Millicent liked to have the upper hand, and if Winnie found out she knew about the engagement after Millie bragged to the blonde about it... oh, boy, that wouldn't be good. "We still have another exam after dinner, I'm going to try and get some rest."</p><p>"Okay," Cordelia nodded, adjusting the strap of her bag where it was beginning to dig into her shoulder. "I'll guess I'll see you later, then?"</p><p>"Yeah, sure." He replied simply, and without another word, he turned away, and he was walking down the hall. But before he could turn the corner, Cordelia called out to him.</p><p>"Theo!"</p><p>He looked at her, waiting for her to say something else. There was something off about him, and she realized at that moment that his engagement to Millicent really was weighing heavily on his mind and affecting him so much to the point where his regular, goofy demeanor was almost invisible.</p><p>He wasn't alright.</p><p>"Are you okay?" she asked him, concern lacing her words, and he simply nodded, gave her a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, and left, leaving her alone in the hall. She watched him leave, her heart beating loudly in her chest, thinking that all she wanted to do was hug him and tell him that he was going to be okay and that she would do whatever she could to make sure he didn't marry her cold-hearted cousin.</p><p>Her footsteps echoed around her as she came to a stop in front of the familiar portrait of the pear, and she tickled it, allowing it to slide open to welcome her inside. Straightaway a house-elf appeared at her side, offering to make her anything she wanted, but she declined, wanting to wait for Winnie to arrive before she ate anything. She slipped out her Astronomy textbook from her bag, reading over the notes she had written in the margins in preparation for the exam as she waited idly for Winnie.</p><p>Winnie Bulstrode stepped foot into the kitchens within minutes, violet eye bags sticking out on her pale face as she was clearly exhausted. "If I have to see another cauldron again before next September, it may be too soon," she said tiredly as she moved over to her. She rolled her eyes at the sight of the textbook as though it physically pained her to see her cousin studying at this hour. "Oh, please put that away, I don't think I can bear anymore studying for the next one hundred years."</p><p>"We have our Transfiguration exam after dinner," Cordelia drawled, a smile tracing her lips as Winnie glared over at her at the mention of another exam. She took a seat across from her, elbows hitting the wood as a House elf approached her, and the scowl disappeared that was quickly replaced with a sweet smile. With a happy snap of her fingers, a plate of toast and jam appeared on the table in front of the blonde, whose eyes lit up at the sight of food as if it had been forever since she had eaten last. Cordelia's stomach growled again, and she ordered a bowl of french onion soup, which, in turn, appeared in front of her as well. She lifted the spoon to her lips and blew on it, and after swallowing she felt a wave of heat wash through her.</p><p>Winnie scarfed down the toast, humming in delight as she licked the remaining jam off her fingers. Cordelia raised a brow, feeling the guilt of not telling her about Theo and Millicent's betrothal beginning to creep up her spine like an infestation. "When was the last time you ate?" she questioned, shutting her book and running a hand through her dark hair. Winnie swallowed thickly, pressing a hand to her chest.</p><p>"Last night I had an apple, I've been too stressed to eat anything larger than that," Winnie shrugged, taking another bite from her toast as Cordelia tapped her fingers against the cover of her book. Winnie's fingers paused, watching as Cordelia's eyes tilted downwards, eyebrows puzzling and her lips pressed downwards into a frown. "Are you alright?" The blonde questioned softly, laying down her half-eaten bread as she swiped her hands together, getting rid of any crumbs. It was quiet for a moment, the only sound was the quiet sounds of the house elves' feet moving against the ground, Winnie reached over, placing her hands on top of Cordelia's, who shivered under the feeling of Winnie's freezing cold hands. "Hey, whatever it is, you can tell me, you can tell me anything," she spoke encouragingly, squeezing the girl's fingers.</p><p>Cordelia glanced up, her blue eyes hardened like ice as her jaw locked, as she played a scene in her head, one where she told Winnie the truth. It ended one of two ways: Winnie was fine with it, just bummed, while the other ended with her being so upset that she stormed angrily out of the kitchens and didn't speak to her for a week. It was as though the two sides of her heart, one loyal to Theo and one loyal to Winnie, were fighting in a brutal, bloody war.</p><p>"I have something to tell you," she whispered finally, her hands flipping up to wrap around Winnie's wrist, her fingers squeezing tightly as the blonde's eyebrows knitted downwards, her own fingers wrapping around Cordelia's wrist. "I don't know if I should tell you, but I just... I believe I should. We said we wouldn't keep anything from each other, and I promised, so..." she paused, her eyes dropping to their hands where they lay intertwined on the table, vaguely aware of her soup beginning to go cold beside her textbook.</p><p>"What is it? You're scaring me, Lia," Winnie chuckled awkwardly, squeezing Cordelia's wrist tighter. The brunette was aware of Winnie biting her lip with the anxiety of not knowing what she had to say, and her heartbeat could suddenly be heard in her ears as she breathed out, trying to word what she had on her mind correctly. "It can't be that bad."</p><p>"Theo is betrothed to Millie," she said, and immediately Winnie began to laugh in disbelief, her mouth falling open. She shook her head, denying it vigorously, before she scoffed, giggled once more, and fell silent.</p><p>"You must be joking," she said, shaking her head again as Cordelia clasped on tighter to her wrist, knowing that the news would surely send her off the edge. But when Cordelia shook her head and gave her a painful look, Winnie's hands wrapped out of her own as if it had been burned, her lips falling into a frown as she quickly got to her feet. Before Cordelia could say anything further, Winnie said harshly, "Cordelia, let's go."</p><p>"What? Winnie, wait, slow--"</p><p>"No!" Winnie snapped, twirling around with her lips twisted into a scowl as Cordelia stopped mid-motion as she went to stand, shoving her textbook hastily into her bag as she eyed Winnie's finger pointed directly at her chest. "Do not tell me to slow down, do not tell me to be calm. You will bring me to him now, Cordelia," she demanded, fire seething through the words as Cordelia pressed her lips into a line.</p><p>"Fine," she sighed, giving in as Winnie spun on her heel once again. She skidded past her, leading her out of the kitchens and towards the dungeons, to the room of the person she wanted to see most.</p><p>It wasn't long before the two entered the Slytherin common room, tensions high. Cordelia slowed to a stop but Winnie simply darted past her, already knowing how to get to the boy's dormitory. Cordelia hoped that Theo was alone, that Draco or Blaise or anyone else wouldn't be there to find out the news of the boy's engagement, because she knew it would make him even more upset about it. She watched Winnie twist open the door handle, saying, "Theo, you better have a--" before she stopped suddenly, standing in the doorway, mouth falling open in shock, and Cordelia's stomach sank, and she rushed over to stand beside her.</p><p>He was, in fact, not alone, and the scene she saw was worse than she could have imagined: there, sitting on his bed sat her cousin, blonde hair brushing against her shoulders as she stood with one hand wrapped around Theo's dress shirt and the other on her lap-- said boy stood in front of her, his shirt half unbuttoned with his one hand on top of Millie's wrist where she held onto him. Cordelia glared at him, but then she remembered that it was likely that Millicent had come on to him (like she often did), but she could never be sure with her best friend.</p><p>"I just came to wish you both congratulations," she heard Winnie say cruelly, not bothering to cover up the hurt in her voice. Theo opened his mouth to say something, but Winnie cut him off. "I'm sure it'll be a lovely marriage." She sniffed, eyes narrowed before she turned, shoulder bumping into Cordelia's as she stormed angrily out of the dormitory hall and out into the common room.</p><p>Theo opened his mouth again. "Congratulations, Millicent," she spoke harshly, eyes narrowing on the girl who stayed completely still. "You managed to ruin her again. Good for you." She then gave the two of them an exasperated look before she ran out of the dormitory hallway, pushed past Draco and Blaise where they stood together in the common room, and barreling out of the doorway. She found Winnie, body sagged as she had taken a defeated seat at the bottom of the stairwell, knees drawn up to her chest. Her heart went out to the girl, feeling as though she had caused all this.</p><p>"Winnie," she said as she sat down beside her, hand reaching up to gently stroke her back. Winnie shifted, unknowingly pushing her hand away as she wiped furiously at her eyes. "It's fine, I'm fine," she sniffed. "We're friends, I'm happy for him."</p><p>"Winnie," Cordelia started again, her tone quiet and soft as Winnie glanced over at her. Cordelia thought for a moment she could see through her, seeing the pain and the heartbreak spreading throughout her body like a disease, one that she had had before after Zacharias. And she was okay now, she truly was, and she needed to make sure that Winnie knew that she would be okay, too, even if it took time. "It's okay to not be fine."</p><p>Winnie shoved her sleeve down her arm, covering her hand and the silver ring she usually twisted on her finger. "I'm fine, Cordelia."</p><p>Cordelia knew that that was what a lie sounded like.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>—————</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There was nothing like spending the night looking at the stars, even if it was for a grade.</p><p>Cordelia's fondest memories always came from being under the light of the stars as they twinkled overhead. She found it comforting, like a baby blanket she knew would always have her back, and she knew that, even if everything fell apart around her, that she would still have the solace of the stars.</p><p>But this would be the first time she felt truly afraid under the stars.</p><p>She was seated a few seats behind Winnie, beside Hermione Granger, who gave her a soft smile as she pulled own her own quill. The exam paper was already on the table, along with a telescope, and then, just as she set twisted open the cap of her ink bottle, Professor Tofty gave the cue for the students to begin, and just like that, the only sound that could be heard was the scribbling of quills on parchment and the chirping of grasshoppers from down below on the ground floor.</p><p>Eventually, an hour passed, and Cordelia shook out her wrist, where a sharp shot throughout it after writing. Her paper was full with the placements of planets and various mathematical equations that never failed to make her brain hurt, and she stared at her rendering of the constellation Ursa Major, wondering if it was correct her not.</p><p>With no warning, a deep roar rumbled below them, causing her to jump and spill her ink down the side of the table. She cursed at herself, using the sleeve of her robe to wipe it up (surely the House-elves would be able to take it out), and she noticed as several people around her sitting up straighter in their seats to get a better look at the commotion below. As she sat up herself, Hermione muttered from beside her, "Are you able to see what's going on?"</p><p>"No," she replied, trying to get a better look, just as Professor Tofty spoke up, trying to get his reign back on the startled students.</p><p>"Ahem, twenty minutes to go," he said, checking his watch. Then a loud bang was heard from the grounds, causing her to jump yet again, this time breaking the tip of her quill on the table. She quickly grabbed her telescope and aimed it in the direction of the noises, eyes widening slightly as she saw Hagrid burst out of his hut, a massive figure in the glowing lights. People surrounded him, shooting spells in his direction as he dodged each and every one of them.</p><p>"Be reasonable, Hagrid!" One shouted.</p><p>"Reasonable be damned, yeh won' take me like this, Dawlish." Cordelia winced at the sound of another bang down below and the yelp of a dog. She watched in shock as the dog tried to attack Hagrid's attackers before he was stunned and his body fell limply to the grass floor. They stunned a dog. What the hell was happening down there?</p><p>Hermione's body pressed forward so she was practically leaning against her, and Cordelia moved slightly out of the way to give her more room as she stared fixated down at the scene. A glimpse of light trickled out from the castle doors, and a voice followed suit: "How dare you! How dare you!"</p><p>"Is that Professor McGonagall?" she muttered to Hermione, who muttered a weak 'yes' as she continued to watch the scene. Cordelia was on her feet now, ignoring her test completely.</p><p>"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" Professor McGonagall's voice screamed through the darkness as Cordelia watched. "On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such—"</p><p>A scream left Hermione Granger's lips as Cordelia gasped, hands flying to her mouth as she watched, stunned, where four stunning spells had been directed straight at their Transfiguration professor's chest. She stared, horrified for a moment as she looked down at the altercation, feeling the familiar feeling of bile creep up her throat, and she knew what was going to happen next.</p><p>She kept a hand clamped over her mouth as she stared at the professor, praying she would get up, but when she didn't, Cordelia felt like she was about to vomit. So she stood, watching the quarrel from over the railing as she quickly sped out of the tower, hearing another voice she hated deeply come from below: "Get him, get him!"</p><p>It was Umbridge, she realized as she vomited into the trash can just by the staircase, making her feel even more nauseous. She hated the woman, she hated everything about her, and she hated that her professor had been attacked and that they were after Hagrid for no good reason. She never liked his class, never really having an affection for animals and all, but she liked him, and she felt terrible that he was being attacked.</p><p>The students in her exam room began to filter down the staircase, following her in the direction of their dormitories. She forced herself into an empty alcove to catch her breath, heaving in the brisk night air, realizing that there was something bigger behind it and that there was more to come than just a random attack. And more was coming.</p><p>The air filtered through her body, hitting every nerve that held tension as she gripped onto the low wall, shutting her eyes right. Eventually, all that was left was the twisting and turning of a feeling she knew as fright, and although her nausea had almost evaporated, she still felt as though that weight was sitting on her chest, making her unable to breathe.</p><p>She remembered Winnie's words from before: "We're at the brink of war, Lia."</p><p>(That was confirmed when, the following day, Harry Potter collapsed during their last exam, hands clutching his cursed scar...)</p><p>Cordelia didn't know what was going to happen next, how things were going to proceed, but what she did know was that, with the aching feeling deep in her chest, there was a possibility that it would make everything crash down around her, like buildings following the aftershock of an earthquake...</p><p>And the question was, would she be able to handle it?</p>
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<a name="section0028"><h2>28. theodore nott and his incredible timing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The most powerful weapon on Earth is the human soul on fire.</p><p>As the most powerful weapon, the human soul is given a great deal of responsibility to not allow the greater evils of the everyday world to be brought into the body, not where it could infiltrate and destroy every nerve, every cell, every atom, until there would be nothing left but a demon, lifeless and scorned.</p><p>That's how Cordelia Flint would describe the cold, girlish face of Dolores Umbridge as she stuck her want in Harry Potter's face.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Previously . . .</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>"Cordelia!"</p><p>Cordelia was standing with Theo at the bottom of the staircase, the one that led up to the third floor as Winnie Bulstrode's voice echoed around her, causing her to whip her head around to stare at the blonde as she barreled towards her. Theo's mouth shut, his words about his trip that his father had planned to America drifting away into nothing as Cordelia dug her heel into the ground, puzzled at the look on Winnie's face as she finally skidded to a halt in front of her. She gave Theo a look before she spoke next, eyeing her cousin as she heaved in breaths as if her life depended on it, vaguely aware of students filtering in and out of classrooms and corridors around her.</p><p>"Winnie? What's the matter?" she questioned quickly, blue eyes sparkling with concern, wincing slightly as Winnie's hand shot out to grab her wrist, manicured nails digging deep into her skin.</p><p>The blonde glanced at Theo as if she had something to say, and they stared at each other for a split second before she cleared her throat and her eyes darkened considerably, making Cordelia swallow thickly in anticipation. "You need to come with me, now," she snapped, twisting and intertwining their hands before sharply pulling on her arm down the stairs, leaving Cordelia bewildered.</p><p>"Wait! What's going on?" Theo called out, running to catch up with them as Cordelia tugged on Winnie's sleeve to get her to slow down and bloody explain, all the while watching her with her face twisted in concern for the girl.</p><p>"Look, Theo, it's probably nothing," the lie slipped off her tongue way easier than she would have liked, and her face contorted into a grimace before she put on a smile, sighing. "I'll see you soon, okay?" And then, as if this was the moment Winnie had been waiting for, she tugged even harder, pulling her past the crowds of students and towards the empty hallway that Cordelia knew Umbridge's office was located. As they got closer to the door, sounds of feet pattering behind them, and Cordelia was suddenly thrown back against the wall beside Winnie. "Wha--"</p><p>Winnie cut her off, pressing her finger to her lips before she slowly peeked over the corner of the wall. Cordelia didn't know what -- or who -- she saw, but she squeezed her eyes shut, leaned her head against the wall, accidentally hitting it harder than she had expected, wincing slightly. "Shite," she breathed, cursing under her breath before opening her eyes again, and Cordelia stared at her with confusion, eyebrows furrowed together. "Look, I don't have much time to explain this, so I'm going to be quick about it, and when you're done, I need you to restrain me, okay?"</p><p>Cordelia's eyes widened, shaking her head in protest. "What? Why would I--"</p><p>"Voldymoldy has Sirius Black in the Department of Mysteries, Harry believes he is killing him over some prophecy," Winnie said suddenly, whisper-shouting at her as she waved her hands around in the air. Clearly caught off guard, Cordelia's mouth fell open in shock at the words Sirius Black, Department of Mysteries, and Voldymoldy.</p><p>She was right: something bigger was going to happen.</p><p>"I assume you know about Harry learning Occlumency?" Winnie questioned quickly, and Cordelia clamped her mouth shut, nodding. She did.</p><p>"Yeah, I've been helping him whenever I'm free," she admitted, this time catching Winnie off guard, who blinked. Cordelia flushed slightly, eyes diverting to her shoes as Winnie stayed quiet.</p><p>When she spoke again, her voice was strained. "Okay, well, right now, Harry is breaking into Umbridge's office to try and speak to Sirius through the Floo, and well... that's not going to go well, so we need you to know so you understand what's happening," she paused, drawing her bottom lip in between her teeth before continuing. Harry, breaking into Umbridge's office? That was absurd. "Whatever he finds in the fireplace, I have a feeling it won't be good. But I know Sirius is the only family Harry has left, and, well..."</p><p>"He'll do anything to save him," Cordelia added, understanding flickering across her face as Winnie grimaced in response. She knew Harry-- always putting himself first, making sure he would be able to save those he loved. She saw a little bit of herself in him, if she was being honest: but the only difference between the two was that, unlike him, Cordelia never acted on her urges to save her loved ones. They simply died, or disappeared as they had never entered her life at all.</p><p>So, tonight, she was going to change that. Take charge, put it into action, help Harry save the one he loves so very much, and maybe, just maybe, her soul could rest, and she wouldn't feel the guilt that haunted her from not being able to save Max, or prevent Marcus from being Marked.</p><p>"He can't die, Lia, he can't," Winnie whispered, breathing in heavily as she looked up at Cordelia through her eyelashes.</p><p>"I know, and he won't," Cordelia squared her shoulders, a sudden feeling of determination washing over her. She'd been practicing the spells in the journal ever since she found it, some real Defense that wasn't the bullshite that Umbridge had been teaching them or the simple spells Harry had been teaching them, either. It spells that she was sure would do some damage, and she was ready for it. She would do whatever it took to save Harry, she would.</p><p>Because it was the two of them against the world, right?</p><p>At least, that's what she had thought as they stood beside the wildflowers.</p><p>Winnie turned, arms locked behind her back as Cordelia gripped onto her tightly, but not enough to cause any real harm, just enough to seem real. They stepped into the hallway that housed Umbridge's office just as Ginny Weasley, Luna Lovegood, and Neville Longbottom appeared beside them, all three being held tightly as well, but, for them, it was enough to cause pain. Cordelia and Winnie glanced at one another, just as Millicent appeared, too, holding a piece of black fabric.</p><p>"Good for you, cousin, catching the dog of the family," she drawled, lips twisting into a bright gin as Cordelia's eyes narrowed at her. She bit back a scowl as Millicent held out the piece of fabric towards her, eyes shining with glee. "Here, Umbridge wants them gagged."</p><p>Gagged?</p><p>Holy shit.</p><p>"Do you think if I spit on her, our ancestors will cheer or burn me?" Winnie sneered, as Cordelia let out a snort, hands still holding Winnie's arms behind her.</p><p>"I think I'll burn you if you don't," she drawled in response, about to let go of her wrist just as her brother appeared next to them. She froze for a moment, watching her brother, the reason for the never-ending guilt that plagued her body like an illness. She never saw him anymore, always disappearing into thin air with a pale sickliness to him, eyes sunken in and skin sagging like he was simply a skeleton, no flesh, and bone.</p><p>What had they done to him? Or, rather, what had the mark done to him?</p><p>"Here, let me," he held out a hand for the black fabric, and his gaze hardened when his eyes landed on her. She mentally pleaded with him, needing him to know that he would be okay, that they would rid his body of the mark, but it was like he didn't care, and his usual self seemed, as she had dreaded, like it was no longer there, like he was the shell of the person he once was. She realized as she handed over the fabric, that his days of being the brother she loved was over, and that he would never be the same.</p><p>But she was the only person he had left, and she needed to stay strong.</p><p>If not for herself, but for him.</p><p>That didn't stop her from lifting her chin and staring up at him with a painful look on her face, hurt washed over her features as she watched him, disdain in her eyes, as he tied the gag around Winnie's mouth, tying it at the back of her head.</p><p>Cordelia moved her forward then, ignoring Marcus, and just before they reached the room, Winnie struggled. It was part of the plan, she thought, having to fight against one another to perfect their act, like a set of actors on the stage, as Winnie's arms twisted clearly painfully behind her back and Cordelia's fingers digging deeper against her bones and skin.</p><p>"Got 'em all," Marcus spoke as he entered the room from behind them, shutting the door with a click as Cordelia's eyes wandered the dreadfully pink room. There were many people she recognized in the room, ranging from nearly all her fellow Snakes to the friends of her cousin, and finally, Harry Potter, who sat in a chair in the middle of the room, Umbridge standing before him.</p><p>"Good, good," the dreadful woman drawled, her face twisting in a grin as Ginny Weasley struggled in the hold of her captor.</p><p>"Well, it looks like Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?" Malfoy laughed wickedly from beside her, and Cordelia's leg shot out to kick him in the shin. He yelped slightly, mouth falling open into an 'O' while her eyes narrowed at him. Even though most of the Weasleys didn't take that kindly to her (Ronald was a notable mention, and she glanced at him), they were Winnie's, and, in turn, Harry's friends, so that gave her all the reason she needed to defend them.</p><p>"So, Potter," Umbridge drawled as she looked back at Harry. "You stationed these lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon," she paused, waving her hand at Ron. "To tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the telescopes. Mr. Filch has just informed me so." Cordelia grimaced, loosening her grip on Winnie's arms slightly. "Clearly it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to speak to anyone."</p><p>The Inquisitorial Squad laughed, and Cordelia forced one out herself, trying to blend in the best she can all the while trying to hold back her disgust.</p><p>"It's none of your business who I talk to," Harry snapped, his fingers gripping the edge of the chair, and Cordelia silently applauded him for the courage.</p><p>"Very well," Dolores Umbridge's voice twisted into a sweet, high pitch voice, one that Cordelia knew even on the first day would be a problem, and her intuition was always right. Winnie shifted on her feet in front of her. "I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused, I have no alternative but to force you. Draco — fetch Professor Snape."</p><p>Cordelia turned her head, watching as Draco motioned for another Inquisitorial Squad member to take Ron before he twirled his wand and stuffed it into his pocket. There was an echoing silence around them after he left, besides the scuffling of the Gryffindors and Ravenclaw trying to escape their captors. Cordelia squeezed Winnie's wrist in reassurance, hoping against hope that they were still keeping up their act. Poor Neville Longbottom was beginning to turn blue from the grip Vincent Crabbe had on him, arm wrapped around his neck, and Cordelia wanted nothing more than to slap the boy (and Millicent, where she stood gripping Hermione Granger tightly) across the face and knock some bloody sense into him.</p><p>"You wanted to see me?" Snape questioned, as the door opened again. Her godfather stepped inside the room with a familiar drawl to his nose, eyes tracing everyone as Draco stepped in from behind him.</p><p>"Ah, Professor Snape," Umbridge spoke cheerily, smiling as she looked up at him. "Yes, I would like another bottle of your Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."</p><p>"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," Cordelia watched as he observed her, lips pulled into a line as she scowled slightly. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you three drops would be sufficient."</p><p>"You can make some more, can't you?" Umbridge questioned urgently, causing Winnie to snort. Cordelia hushed her, but could barely fight back the amused smile on her face as Draco glared at the two of them.</p><p>"Certainly," Snape replied, his lip curling. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in about a month."</p><p>"A month?" She squawked, her face swelling a cherry red. "A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"</p><p>"Really?" Snape questioned, showing interest and a great look of disdain as he looked at Harry. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter had never shown much inclination to follow school rules."</p><p>"I wish to interrogate him!" Umbridge shrieked, and Cordelia fought back the urge to burst out into a fit of giggles at the sight of Umbridge's face going so red as if she was slowly transforming into a tomato.</p><p>"I have already told you," Snape drawled smoothly, sighing as he looked back at her. "That I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter — and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did —," Cordelia made an odd noise in her throat at his words, "I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling."</p><p>"You are on probation! You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly if you! Now get out of my office!"</p><p>Cordelia's eyebrows knitted together as Snape heaved out a heavy sigh before turning to leave, but just as his hand brushed against the brass doorknob, Harry yelled out, causing her eyes to snap to his as he gave her a quick glance before focusing his attention on Harry.</p><p>"Padfoot! He's got Padfoot, in the place where it's hidden!" he gasped, chest heaving, as Umbridge's eyes widened, and hers did, too. They darted between the three of them, before settling on Harry, who bit his lip in earnest as he stared at his Potions professor.</p><p>"Padfoot?" cried Umbridge, looking urgently at Snape who slowly turned his head back to stare at Harry. "What is Padfoot? Where, what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?" Cordelia watched, confusion washed over her face. She had the same questions...</p><p>"I have no idea," he drawled coldly, and Cordelia heard Winnie's sharp intake of breath. She nudged her with her foot, and, when Winnie glanced up to her, she shook her head, addressing the girl to be quiet while all other eyes watched Snape carefully. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little. If Longbottom suffocates, it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork and I'm afraid I have to mention it in your reference if ever you apply for a job."</p><p>Snape left then, closing the door with a snap and leaving them all behind with the demon-like woman who looked as though she was a ticking time bomb, preparing to explode any minute. She muttered to herself, pacing and shaking her head as though she was on the brink of a psychotic break.</p><p>She stepped closer to Harry, making Cordelia's blood boil. "You're forcing me, Potter .. I do not want to," Umbridge started, speaking louder as she tapped her wand against the palm of her hand. Breathing heavily and staring hard at Harry, Cordelia became rooted to the spot, staring viciously in the direction of the woman she very much hated. "But sometimes circumstances justify the use ... I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," Umbridge finished quietly, just as Cordelia let out a high-pitched gasp of horror.</p><p>"No!" Shrieked Hermione, her gag coming out and testing against her neck. "Professor Umbridge — it's illegal." Any sane person could see that it was no use, an awful, hungry look had formed its way across the teachers' features. "The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor!"</p><p>"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," Umbridge snapped, as she panted slightly. Her wand moved to different parts of Harry's body, apparently deciding which part of his body to curse. Winnie started fighting against her cousin, obviously no longer carrying about the fact she wasn't supposed to be caught, this was beyond insane. Cordelia didn't blame her. She fought, twisting her wrist against Cordelia's, just as the brunette let her fingers slip from hers, on the verge of letting the 'dog' of the family go feral on the pink-clothed woman. "He never knew I ordered Dementors to go after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same."</p><p>Cordelia's eyes widened: it was Umbridge who had sent the Dementors after Harry? It was her, this whole time? No wonder she was such a bitch (for lack of a better word). Her heart dropped to her stomach as Draco then suddenly snagged Winnie's wrist and twisted it behind her back, just as she had just reached to pull down her gag.</p><p>"You lost your grip Flint," he drawled, looking over at Cordelia who moved to hold onto Winnie, only for Draco to move her away and hold her near the wall. "I don't think so, the last thing we want is this dog getting loose," he snorted, holding her arms painfully behind her back. The girl fought against him, knocking her shoulder against him with no prevail, his hold was like a vice holding her tightly. Cordelia glared at him, pushing forward to grab her, but he shoved her off, smirking the entire time.</p><p>"She's my cousin, give me her back," Cordelia argued, narrowing her eyebrows at the platinum blond boy who smirked, holding Winnie against the wall still so her face rubbed against the many cat pictures.</p><p>"She's a blood traitor," he snapped, the same time Hermione cried out, breaking everyone's own little bubbles to look over at the girl. Cordelia watched as Millicent jumped away as Hermione began to cry into the back of her robes, disgust painted across her face.</p><p>"Well, well, well," Umbridge drawled, standing up from where she stood over Harry. Cordelia gritted her teeth as her jaw hardened, waiting for the moment where she could pounce on Professor Umbridge, try out her new spells... "Little Miss-Question-all is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"</p><p>"Er—my—nee—no!" She heard the muffled shouts of Ron from beneath his gag.</p><p>"I'm — I'm sorry," Hermione blubbered, "But — I can't stand it—" Umbridge came into her view then, shaking Hermione by the shoulders.</p><p>"That's right, that's right, girl!" She said excitedly, seizing Hermione and throwing her into another open chair. Cordelia winced at the harshness of it, her heart going out to the girl as she cried into her hands.</p><p>But was she really crying? Or did she have something up her sleeve?</p><p>"Now then... with whom was Potter communicating with just now?"</p><p>"Well," gulped Hermione into her hands. "Well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore..."</p><p>Cordelia tried so hard not to let the smirk from onto her face because, as she figured, the girl did have a trick to play on the old bat. And she applauded her for that. She looked to Winnie, who was still in Malfoy's tight grip, as she froze, eyes widening slightly at Hermione's words.</p><p>"Dumbledore?" said Umbridge eagerly, eyes glistening with glee. "So you know where Dumbledore is, then?"</p><p>"Well... no!" sobbed Hermione. "We've tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's head--"</p><p>"Idiot girl, Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry is looking for him!" shouted Umbridge, disappointment leaking into the sour tone of her voice.</p><p>"But-- but we needed to tell him something important!" Hermione wailed, hands more tightly over her face, and Cordelia knew that it was, not because of despair, but to hide the absence of tears.</p><p>"Yes?" said Umbridge with a sudden resurgence of excitement. "What was it you wanted to tell him?"</p><p>"We... we wanted to tell him it's r-ready!" choked Hermione, and Cordelia paused in her motion to begin leaning against the wall, eyes narrowed in the direction Malfoy before her eyes snapped to the center of the room. Her gaze met Harry's, and she tried to give him a smile of assurance, but he seemed to not get the message as he set his sights back on Hermione.</p><p>"What's ready?" Umbridge demanded, her voice rising even higher.</p><p>"The... the w-weapon," said Hermione.</p><p>"Weapon? Weapon?" said Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. "You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?</p><p>"Y-y-yes," gasped Hermione. "But he had to leave before it was finished and n-n-now we've finished it for him, and we c-c-can't find him t-t-to tell him!"</p><p>"What kind of weapon is it?" said Umbridge harshly, her hands still tight on Hermione's shoulders.</p><p>"We don't r-r-really understand it," said Hermione, sniffing loudly. "We j-j-just did what P-P-Professor Dumbledore told us t-t-to do . . ." Umbridge straightened up, looking exultant, and Cordelia watched, jaw clenched, eyes every so often drifting to Harry as the altercation continued on.</p><p>"Lead me to the weapon," she said. "I'm not showing . . . them," said Hermione shrilly, looking around at the Slytherins through her fingers, and Cordelia huffed as Draco groaned audibly from beside her, and Millicent scoffed, folding her arms over her chest with a scowl.</p><p>"It is not for you to set conditions," said Professor Umbridge harshly, and Cordelia had to refrain from rolling her eyes.</p><p>"Fine," said Hermione, now sobbing into her hands again, "fine . . . let them see it, I hope they use it on you! In fact, I wish you'd invite loads and loads of people to come and see! Th-that would serve you right — oh, I'd love it if the wh-whole school knew where it was, and how to u-use it, and then if you annoy any of them they'll be able to s-sort you out!"</p><p>These words had a powerful impact on Umbridge, and she glanced swiftly and suspiciously around at her Inquisitorial Squad, eyes landing on Cordelia where she stood, foot propped up behind her against the wall. She shrugged her shoulders, making Umbridge scowl lightly before her bulging eyes rested for a moment on Malfoy, who was too slow to disguise the look of eagerness and greed that had appeared on his face. Umbridge contemplated Hermione for another long moment and then spoke in what she clearly thought was a motherly voice, making Cordelia purse her lips.</p><p>"All right, dear, let's make it just you and me . . . and we'll take Potter too, shall we? Get up, now —"</p><p>"Professor," said Malfoy eagerly, and Cordelia glared at him as he continued to restrain Winnie up against the wall. "Professor Umbridge, I think some of the squad should come with you to look after —"</p><p>"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?" asked Umbridge sharply. "In any case, it does not sound as though this weapon is something that schoolchildren should see. You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these" — she gestured around at Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna — "escape." "All right," said Malfoy, looking sulky and disappointed. "And you two can go ahead of me and show me the way," said Umbridge, pointing at Harry and Hermione with her wand. "Lead on."</p><p>They left the room, Harry giving her a sidelong glance before shutting the door closed behind him, and then, as if she had been waiting for this moment, Ginny Weasley managed to maneuver herself out of Cassius Warrington's hold, slipping her wand out of his pocket and then sticking it in his face, grinning broadly from ear to ear as blood dripped steadily from her eyebrow.</p><p>"Let us go, or I hex your arse."</p><p>And thus began a fight Cordelia would remember as one of the most entertaining events of her life.</p><p>Malfoy growled, a deep noise in the back of his throat as he continued to hold Winnie against the wall, who struggled harder now. Cordelia, having no one to hold on to, shoved her wand into the nape of his neck, and, upon hearing the sharp intake of breath on his end, smirked. "Let her go."</p><p>"So you're with them now, aren't you?" Malfoy sneered, lip curling.</p><p>"What if I am?" she countered, sticking her wand further into his neck, making him wince.</p><p>"Cordelia, stop it," Marcus said from somewhere behind her. "Put the wand down. Let's just keep them restrained, and--"</p><p>"Stay out of it unless you want me to hex you too," she growled in response, throwing a look at him over her shoulder. "Tell them to let them go."</p><p>"No."</p><p>"Okay," she said. A spell from the journal drifted into her mind, and she smiled, and, under her breath, muttered the incantation, which immediately made Draco let go of Winnie so suddenly that she fell to the floor into a heap. Malfoy yelped, the spot in his neck bright red as his face began to swell, and then, as if someone had stuck a match in his mouth, steam started to pour out of his ears and nostrils. Cordelia twirled her wand in her hand, reaching out a hand to help pull Winnie to her feet. She took it, and got to her feet.</p><p>"You're not my sister, but this will do," she snapped, and without warning, she spit on the blonde boy, making Cordelia laugh to herself before she turned to help the others. She saw a curse fly from Ginny's wand and hit her brother in the face, and she gasped as it became covered in large, flapping wings, hand flying to her mouth, and she didn't know whether to laugh or cry.</p><p>Neville managed an Impediment jinx at Crabbe as Luna shot a stunning charm at Cassius Warrington, who fell with a slam to the floor. Winnie waved her wand and disarmed Millicent, her sister's wand flying into her hand as she stuffed it into her pocket, then subsequently stunning her to the ground. Before she knew it, everyone had been either disarmed or stunned (or, in Malfoy and Marcus's case, battling injuries to their faces), causing them to all pause for a moment as they looked down at their work, before Ron spoke up, lip bleeding.</p><p>"We need to go down to the Forbidden Forest," he said quickly, pushing past them towards the door which he flew open. They all followed him out, Cordelia not even a foot away from him as they all rushed out of the office and down the stairs towards the first floor.</p><p>"What was that jinx you used?" Winnie breathed loudly as they ran, footsteps echoing through the halls. They didn't care that a teacher might have seen them, or that they almost stampeded over a group of innocent first years, all they cared about at that moment was getting to Harry and Hermione before it was too late, and then Sirius Black would be dead, and Harry would no longer have any family left.</p><p>She didn't want him to feel like she did.</p><p>"It's this nifty little jinx I found in this book of mine," she lied, not feeling up to telling her about the book just yet. That was for another time, she felt. "I'll tell you about it--" She collided with Ron's arm being thrown out in front of her just as they found themselves out in the open air, almost falling over it, and he shot her a glare. "Why'd you stop?"</p><p>"Shhhh," He said, and they all fell silent. "I'm trying to hear them."</p><p>"You won't be able to hear them from here, Ron," said Ginny, pushing her way forward and moving out to stand in front of him and Cordelia. "We have to get closer."</p><p>"There's a clearing just up ahead," said Winnie from behind her, and Cordelia immediately knew which one she had on her mind. "Hagrid took us there to see Thestrals a while back. We can check there."</p><p>"Brilliant, Winnie," said Ron brightly, and they hastened to make it to the clearing as quickly as they could, and then, as they got closer, they heard a thump, and a thinner tree shook slightly in view. "Over there."</p><p>"Be careful not to disturb any creatures," said Luna softly from behind them, making Cordelia roll her eyes. "We should really be quiet."</p><p>Oh, hush, she wanted to say, if not for Ginny and Neville agreeing with the girl. So they sauntered ahead, trying to stay as silent as they could, stepping on the forest ground as softly as they could. Soon enough, voices from behind the clearing, just a few feet ahead of them, drifted into earshot:</p><p>"By the time we do that Sirius will be dead!" Harry was saying rather loudly, and her heart skipped a beat at the sound of it. Everyone turned to look at each other as they rushed in the direction, and within seconds, the two Gryffindors they had been searching for loomed into view.</p><p>"Well, we can't do anything without wands," Hermione said hopelessly, dragging herself up from the floor as they approached. "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"</p><p>"Yeah, we were just wondering that," answered Ron loudly enough to get their attention, and they peeked their heads around a few trees to see them, and Hermione's face, under the light of the moon, visibly brightened at the sight of them. "So, any ideas?" He asked, pushing away a low branch as he held out Harry's wand to him.</p><p>"How did you get away?" asked Harry in amazement, taking his wand from Ron.</p><p>"Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx," said Ron airily, now handing back Hermione's wand too. Cordelia leaned her weight against one leg, glancing over to where Winnie had just come up to stand beside her. "But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy — BatBogey Hex — it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you heading into the forest out of the window and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?"</p><p>"She got carried away," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs."</p><p>"And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished.</p><p>"No, they got chased off by Grawp," said Harry.</p><p>"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly, and Cordelia nodded, wanting to know who 'Grawp' was as well.</p><p>"Hagrid's little brother," said Ron promptly, and Winnie and Cordelia's eyes snapped to him, but no further answer was given, and they sighed in defeat.</p><p>"Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-know-who got Sirius or — ?"</p><p>"Yes," said Harry, and he winced, making Cordelia's eyebrows furrow as he pressed a hand to his scar. "And I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but--" A rustling in the trees behind them made Cordelia turn, but when she saw nothing, she assumed it was an animal, as they were in the forbidden forest after all, so she looked to Harry to continue. "--I can't see how we're going to get there to help him.</p><p>Another rustle, another glance. This time she looked to Winnie, who shrugged her shoulders in confusion as they both stared at the entrance to the clearing once more, before, again, focusing back onto Harry.</p><p>"Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" said Luna matter-of-factly, and Cordelia's stomach twisted at the thought of being so high up in the air. It was the main reason she didn't like Quidditch, if she was being honest: the flying.</p><p>"Okay," said Harry irritably, rounding on her, "first of all, 'we' aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's the only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so —"</p><p>A flash of red light burst from behind them: Hermione screamed, tripping over her shoelace and falling onto the floor as Cordelia quickly gripped Winnie's shoulders as if to protect her. There was silence, but Ginny Weasley's stance told them that she was the one who had cast the spell, and then her eyes found the body on the ground, and her stomach dropped, and Winnie gasped.</p><p>Theo.</p><p>"What the fuck?" she muttered under her breath, looking at Winnie who looked just as startled. They both rushed over beside the boy as Harry, momentarily stunned, returned back to what was most on his mind, ignoring how everyone's attention was still on Theo and Ginny. Cordelia knelt beside him, pressing her hand to his cheek as he breathed out raggedly, mossy eyes wide open in terror. Winnie crouched on his other side, stroking his hair gently as she tried to soothe him, but his breathing remained shallow and quick.</p><p>"Where the hell did you come from?" the blonde said to him, and he breathed out, but was interrupted by Neville speaking.</p><p>"We were all in the D.A. together," He said, making Cordelia nod in agreement as she kept her hand resting on Theo's arm, where he was still in shock on the ground. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real — or was that all just a game or something?"</p><p>"No — of course, it wasn't —" said Harry impatiently.</p><p>"Then we should come too," said Neville simply. "We want to help."</p><p>"That's right," said Luna, smiling happily, and Cordelia, for once in her life, agreed with the girl.</p><p>"Well, it doesn't matter anyway," said Harry frustratedly, and Cordelia rolled her eyes in annoyance. For someone like the Boy Who Lived, he was quite stubborn, and that was quite possibly the only bad thing she could say about the boy. "because we still don't know how to get there —"</p><p>"I thought we'd settled that?" said Luna maddeningly. "We're flying!"</p><p>"Look," said Ron, barely containing his anger, while Winnie muttered something to Theo. Cordelia got to her feet, sparing one last glance at Theo and Winnie before she joined the rest of her friends, taking the spot beside Ginny, who gave her an apologetic smile. "you might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we —"</p><p>"There are other ways of flying than with broomsticks," said Luna serenely.</p><p>"I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?" Ron demanded.</p><p>"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly," said Luna in a dignified voice, "but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."</p><p>Cordelia whirled around. Standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily, were two thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word. "</p><p>Yes!" Harry whispered, moving toward them. They tossed their heads, throwing back long black manes, and Harry stretched out his hand eagerly and patted the nearest one's shining neck. Cordelia wondered briefly why she had thought they were unflattering, but now as she watched Harry stroke the mane of one, she found them quite pretty, really.</p><p>"Is it those mad horse things?" said Ron uncertainty, staring at a point slightly to the left of the thestral Harry was patting, and Cordelia stifled a laugh, glancing to Winnie again as she joined her side, Theo still on the ground.</p><p>"He's in shock," Winnie whispered to her, and Cordelia nodded.</p><p>"Understandably," she said, and Winnie bobbed her head in agreement, face twisting into emotion the brunette could not read.</p><p>"I think I'm going to stay here, you go with them," Winnie said, and Cordelia's eyes widened: how could she do anything without the help of her cousin? Surely she was just going mad. "I have to tend to Theo--"</p><p>"You don't have to do anything," Cordelia said back, as Harry waved the Thestrals to them, signaling for them to get on one. "You've got to come with us, we need your help. Or, I'll take Theo back--"</p><p>"Cordelia, go," Winnie said simply, pushing her towards the Thestrals. "You'll be more help than I am, trust me. I'll stay. Go be with Harry, he needs you right now."</p><p>"What he needs is his friends," Cordelia muttered, but Winnie cut her off.</p><p>"You're his friend," she replied calmly, arm reaching out to touch her shoulder, and Cordelia leaned into her touch for a moment before breathing out, making her decision.</p><p>'Fine. I'll go," she told Winnie, whose eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "You stay safe, alright? I think I have my compact. Call me if anything happens, okay?"</p><p>"Of course."</p><p>Cordelia squeezed Winnie's shoulders and gave her a wistful look before she, following the direction of the others as they climbed on top of a Thestral. She gave her cousin and best friend one last look before she climbed onto the back of one, and, bracing herself, shut her eyes tightly as she prepared for takeoff.</p><p>Hopefully, everything will go well tonight, she thought.</p><p>( It wouldn't. )</p>
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